'Wh 


Cthe  long  ' 

O  RTAC  E 


)LD  BINULOS 


LIBRARY 
UNIVERSITY  OF  CALIFORNIA 

RIVERSIDE 


THE  LONG   PORTAGE 


i 


^ 


M 


■-«„ 


'-^LL    DAY    LONG   THEY    PA.DDI.ED   UP  THE  GI.KAMING   LAKE"— /'o^^  290 


THE  LONG  PORTAGE 

By 

HAROLD  BINDLOSS 


AUTHOR  OF 

A  PRAIRIE  COURTSHIP. 

WINSTON  OF  THE  PRAIRIE.  ETC- 


WITH  A  FRONTISPIECE  IN  COLORS  BY 

ARTHUR  HUTCHINS 


4- 


NEW     YORK 

GROSSET    &    DUNLAP 

PUBLISHERS 


U  '^  >  i  J 


lk(dOOB 


Copyright,  igi2,  by 
Frederick  A.  Stokes  Company 


All  rights  reserved,  including  that  of  translation  into  foreign 
languages,  including  the  Scandinavian 


Published  in  England  under  the  title,  "  The  Pioneer ' 


0 


September,  IQ12 


CONTENTS 


CHAPTER 


PAGE 


I. 

The  Gladwyne  Expkditiok 

1 

II. 

The  Divide 

12 

III. 

The   Cache 

.      23 

IV. 

A  Painful  Decision  .... 

35 

V. 

MiLLiCENT  Gladwyne 

47 

VI. 

Nasmyth  Tells  his  Story  . 

.      58 

VII. 

On  the  Moors 

.     68 

VIII. 

Gladwyne  Receives  a  Shock   . 

81 

IX. 

Lisle  Gathers  Information 

92 

X. 

Bella's  Champion      .... 

102 

XI. 

Crestwick  Gives  Trouble   . 

118 

XII. 

Mrs.   Gladwyne's  Appeal    . 

129 

XIII. 

A  Futile  Protest     .... 

14f2 

XIV. 

Lisle  Comes  to  the  Rescue  . 

153 

XV. 

Bella's  Defeat 

165 

XVI. 

Glad^^ttne  Surrenders   . 

177 

xvn. 

A  Bad  Fall 

189 

xvin. 

A  Prudent  Decision 

200 

XIX. 

Gladwyne  Gains  a  Point     . 

211 

XX. 

Mrs.  Gladwyne's  Temptation   . 

223 

XXI. 

The  Last  Afternoon     .      .      .      . 

233 

XXII. 

Startling  News 

24»3 

XXIII. 

A  Forced  March      .... 

254. 

CONTENTS 

CHAPTER 

PAGE 

XXIV. 

MiLLicENT  Summons  Her  T-uide     .   265 

XXV. 

A  Reliable  Man  .... 

.      .  276 

XXVI. 

Lisle  Turns  Autocrat  . 

.      .   28T 

xxvn. 

An  Unpleasant  Surprise    . 

.      .   298 

XXVIII. 

Clarence  Reaches  Camp 

.      .   309 

XXIX. 

A  Bold  Scheme  .      ,       .      . 

.      .   321 

XXX. 

The  End  of  the  Pursuit     . 

.      .   332 

XXXI. 

Lisle  Goes  to  England  .     >: 

:.;      .    343 

THE  LONG  PORTAGE 


THE  LONG  PORTAGE 

CHAPTER  I 

THE    GLADWYNE    EXPEDITION 

VERNON  LISLE  was  fishing  with  a  determina- 
tion that  did  not  spring  altogether  from  love 
of  the  sport.  The  water  of  the  British  Co- 
lumbian river  in  which  he  stood  knee-deep  was  icy  cold ; 
his  rubber  boots  were  badly  ripped  and  leaky,  and  he 
was  wet  with  the  drizzle  that  drove  down  the  lonely 
valley.  It  was  difficult  to  reach  the  slack  behind  a 
boulder  some  distance  outshore,  and  the  arm  he  strained 
at  every  cast  ached  from  hours  of  assiduous  labor ; 
but  there  was  another  ache  in  his  left  side  which  was 
the  result  of  insufficient  food,  and  though  the  fish  were 
shy  he  persevered. 

A  few  hundred  3'ards  away  the  stream  came  roaring 
down  a  long  declivity  in  a  mad  white  rapid  and  then 
shot  across  the  glassy  green  surface  of  the  pool  below 
in  a  raised-up  wedge  of  foam.  Wet  boulders  and 
outcropping  fangs  of  rock  hemmed  in  the  water,  and 
among  them  lay  stranded  logs  and  stream-packed 
masses  of  whitened  branches.  Farther  back,  ragged 
cypresses  and  cedars,  half  obscured  by  the  drifting 
haze  of  spra}-^,  climbed  the  sides  of  the  gorge,  and 
beyond  rose  the  dim,  rounded  summits  of  treeless  hills. 

1 


2  THE  LONG  PORTAGE 

There  were  streaks  of  snow  on  some  of  them,  for  win- 
ter threatened  to  close  in  unusually  early. 

With  a  lowering  sky  overhead  and  the  daylight 
beginning  to  fade,  it  was  a  desolate  picture ;  one  into 
which  the  lonely  figure  of  the  man  in  tattered  deerskin 
jacket  and  shapeless  hat  somehow  fitted.  His  attire 
matched  the  gray-white  coloring  of  rock  and  boulder; 
his  spare  form  and  agile  movements,  together  ^\dth  the 
intentness  of  his  bronzed  face  and  the  steadiness  of  his 
eyes,  hinted  at  the  quickness  of  observation,  the  stub- 
born endurance,  and  the  tireless  activity,  by  which 
alone  life  can  be  maintained  in  the  savage  North.  He 
had  the  alertness  of  the  wild  creatures  of  the  waste; 
and  it  was  needed. 

All  round  him  stretched  a  forbidding  wilderness, 
part  of  the  great  desolation  which  runs  north  from  the 
warmer  and  more  hospitable  thick-forest  belt  of  Brit- 
ish Columbia.  Indeed,  this  wilderness,  broken  by  the 
more  level  spaces  between  the  Rockies  and  Lake  Win- 
nipeg, runs  right  across  Canada  from  Labrador  to  the 
Pacific  on  the  northern  edge  of  the  heavy-timber  line. 
It  contains  little  human  life  —  a  few  Hudson  Bay  fur- 
traders  and  the  half-breed  trappers  who  deal  with 
them  —  and  it  is  frozen  for  eight  months  in  the  year. 
There  are  only  two  practicable  means  of  traversing  it 
—  with  dog  sledges  on  the  snow,  or  by  canoe  on  the 
lakes  and  rivers  in  the  brief  summer. 

The  water  routes  are  difficult  in  British  Columbia, 
but  Lisle  and  his  two  companions  had  chosen  to  go  by 
canoe,  partly  because  the  question  of  food  is  vitally 
important  to  men  cut  off  from  all  source  of  supply 
except  game,  and  even  that  is  scarce  in  places.  To 
transport  upon  one's  back  any  weight  of  provisions 


THE  GLADWYNE  EXPEDITION  3 

besides  tents,  blankets,  and  other  necessaries,  through 
a  nigged  country  is  an  almost  impossible  task.  The 
men,  accordingly,  after  relaying  part  of  their  stores, 
had  secured  an  Indian  craft  and  had  paddled  and  poled 
her  laboriousl}^  across  lakes  and  up  rivers.  Now 
when  their  provisions  were  running  short,  they  were 
confronted  with  a  difficult  portage  round  a  thunder- 
ing rapid. 

At  length  Lisle,  securing  another  trout,  waded 
ashore  and  glanced  with  a  rueful  smile  at  the  dozen 
this  one  made.  They  scarcely  averaged  half  a  pound, 
and  he  had  spent  most  of  a  da}^  that  could  badly  be 
spared  in  catching  them.  Plodding  back  along  the 
shingle  with  his  load,  he  reached  a  little  level  strip 
beneath  a  scarp  of  rock,  where  a  fire  blazed  among 
the  boulders.  A  tent  stood  beneath  two  or  three  small, 
wind-stunted  spruces,  and  a  ragged  man  in  long  river- 
boots  lay  resting  on  one  elbow  near  the  blaze,  regard- 
less of  the  drizzle.  He  was  a  few  years  over  thirty, 
Lisle's  age,  and  he  differed  from  Lisle  in  that  some- 
thing in  his  appearance  suggested  that  he  was  not  at 
home  in  the  wilds.  As  a  matter  of  fact,  Nasmyth  was 
an  adventurous  English  sportsman  —  which  describes 
him  fairly  in  person  and  character. 

"  Not  many,"  he  commented,  glancing  at  the  trout 
Lisle  laid  down.  "  They'll  hardly  carry  us  over  to- 
morrow, and  I  only  got  a  couple  from  the  canoe  with 
the  troll.  We've  gained  nothing  by  stopping  here, 
and  time's  precious." 

*'  A  sure  thing,"  Lisle  agreed,  beginning  to  clean 
the  trout.  "  We'll  tackle  the  portage  as  soon  as  it's 
light  to-morrow.     Where's  Jake?  " 

"  Gone   off   to   look   for  a   deer,"   was   the   answer. 


4  THE  LONG  PORTAGE 

"  Said  he  wouldn't  come  back  without  one  if  he  camped 
on  the  range  all  night." 

Lisle  made  no  comment,  but  went  on  dexterously 
with  his  work,  while  Nasmyth  watched  him  with  half- 
amused  admiration. 

"  You're  handy  at  that  and  at  everything  else  you 
do,"  Nasmyth  remarked  at  length.  "  In  fact,  you 
easily  beat  Jake,  though  he's  a  professional  packer 
and,  so  to  speak,  to  the  manner  bom." 

"  So  am  I,"  said  Lisle. 

It  was  growing  dark,  but  the  coppery  glow  of  the 
fire  fell  upon  his  face,  emphasizing  the  strong  color- 
ing of  his  weather-darkened  skin.  On  the  whole,  it 
was  a  prepossessing  face,  clearly  cut  —  indeed,  it  was 
a  trifle  thin  —  with  a  hint  of  quiet  determination  in 
the  clear  gray  eyes  and  finii  mouth.  He  looked  capa- 
ble of  resolute  action  and,  when  it  was  needed,  of 
Spartan  self-denial.  There  was  no  suggestion  of  any- 
thing sensual,  or  even  of  much  regard  for  bodily  com- 
fort. 

"  If  you  don't  mind  my  being  a  little  personal, 
I'd  better  own  that  I  suspected  the  fact  you  men- 
tion, and  it  puzzled  me,"  Nasmyth  replied.  "  You 
see,  when  I  first  met  you  at  the  Empress  Hotel,  in  Vic- 
toria, you  were  dressed  and  talked  like  the  usual  pros- 
perous business  man.  Traff^ord,  who  introduced  us, 
said  that  you  had  a  good  deal  of  money  in  some  of  the 
Yukon  mines." 

"  TrafFord  was  quite  right.  The  point  is  that  I 
took  a  part  in  locating  two  of  the  claims.  Before 
that  I  followed  a  good  many  rough  occupations, 
mostly  in  the  bush.     My  prosperity's  recent." 

Nasmyth  still  looked  curious,  and  Lisle  smiled. 


THE  GLADWYNE  EXPEDITION  6 

"  I  can  guess  your  thoughts  —  I  don't  speak  alto- 
gether like  a  bushnian?  Well,  oiy  father  was  an  Eng- 
lishman, and  my  mother  a  lady  of  education  from 
Montreal ;  that  was  why,  at  the  cost  of  some  self-denial 
on  their  part,  I  was  sent  East  to  school." 

It  was  an  incomplete  explanation.  He  had  inher- 
ited the  Englishman's  reticence,  which  forbade  hini  to 
point  out  that  his  father  sprang  from  an  old  family 
of  standing  and  had,  for  some  reason  wliich  his  son 
had  never  learned,  quarreled  bitterly  with  his  English 
relatives.  Coming  to  Canada,  he  had  married  and 
taken  up  the  bush  life  on  a  small  and  unremunerative 
ranch,  where  he  had  died  and  left  his  widow  and  his  son 
badly  provided  for. 

"  Thank  you,"  responded  Nasmyth ;  and  Lisle  sup- 
posed it  was  in  recognition  of  the  fact  that  he  would 
hardly  have  furnished  even  those  few  particulars  to 
one  whom  he  regarded  as  a  stranger.  "  To  recipro- 
cate, a  few  words  will  make  clear  all  there  is  to  know 
about  me.  English  public  school,  Oxford  aftenvard 
—  didn't  take  a  degree.  Spend  most  of  my  time  in 
the  country,  though  I  make  a  few  sporting  trips 
abroad  when  I  can  afford  it  and  have  nothing  better 
to  do.  That  partly  explains  this  journey.  But  I 
haven't  tried  to  foi-ce  your  confidence,  nor  offered  you 
mine,  altogether  casuall}"." 

"  So  I  supposed,"  returned  Lisle.  "  It  strikes  me 
that  since  we  got  near  the  Gladwyne  expedition's  line 
of  march  we  have  both  felt  that  some  explanation  is 
needed.  To  go  back  a  little,  when  I  met  you  in  Vic- 
toria and  you  offered  to  join  me  in  the  trip,  I  agreed 
partly  because  I  wanted  an  intelligent  companion,  but 
I  had  another  reason.     At  first  I  supposed  you  wished 


6  THE  LONG  PORTAGE 

to  go  because  a  journey  through  a  rough  and  httle- 
known  country  seems  to  appeal  to  one  kind  of  Eng- 
lishman, but  I  changed  my  mind  when  you  showed 
your  anxiety  to  get  upon  the  Gladwyne  party's  trail." 

"  You  were  right.  I  knew  the  Gladwynes  in  Eng- 
land; the  one  who  died  was  an  old  and  valued  friend 
of  mine.  I  could  give  you  the  history  of  their  march, 
though  I  hardly  think  that's  needful.  You  seem  re- 
markably well  acquainted  with  it." 

Lisle's  face  hardened.  With  the  exception  of  one 
man,  he  knew  more  than  anybody  else  about  the  fatal 
journey  a  party  of  four  had  made  a  year  earlier 
through  the  region  he  and  Nasmyth  were  approach- 
ing. 

"  I  am,"  he  said.  "  There's  a  cause  for  it ;  but  I'll 
ask  you  to  tell  me  what  you  know." 

He  threw  more  branches  on  the  fire  and  a  crackling 
blaze  sprang  aloft,  forcing  up  the  ragged  spruce 
boughs  out  of  the  surrounding  gloom. 

"  This  is  the  survivor's  narrative.  I  heard  it  from 
his  own  lips  more  than  once,"  began  Nasmyth.  "  I 
dare  say  most  of  it's  a  kind  of  story  that's  not  un- 
usual in  the  North." 

"  It's  one  that  has  been  repeated  with  local  varia- 
tions over  and  over  again.     But  go  on." 

"  There  were  two  Gladwynes  —  cousins.  George, 
the  elder  of  the  two,  was  a  man  of  means  and  position ; 
Clarence,  the  younger,  had  practically  nothing  —  two 
or  three  hundred  pounds  a  year.  They  were  both 
sportsmen  —  George  was  a  bit  of  a  naturalist  —  and 
they  made  the  expedition  with  the  idea  of  studying 
the  scarcer  game.  Well,  their  provisions  were  insuf- 
ficient; an  Indian  packer  deserted  them;  they  were  de- 


THE  GLADVVYNE  EXPEDITION  7 

layed  here  and  there ;  and  when  they  reached  the  river 
that  we  are  making  for  they  were  badly  worn  out  and 
winter  was  closing  in.  Knowing  it  was  dangerous  to 
go  any  farther,  they  started  down-stream  to  strike 
their  outgoing  trail,  but  not  long  afterward  they 
wrecked  their  canoe  in  a  rapid  and  lost  ever^'thing  ex- 
cept a  few  pounds  of  provisions.  To  make  things 
worse,  George  had  fallen  from  a  slippery  rock  at  the 
last  portage  and  badly  hurt  his  leg.  After  making 
a  few  leagues  with  difficult^',  he  found  he  could  go  no 
farther,  and  they  held  a  council.  They  were  already 
suffering  from  want  of  food,  but  their  guide  estimated 
that  by  a  forced  march  overland  they  might  reach  a 
place  where  some  skin-hunters  were  supposed  to  be 
camped.  There  was  a  Hudson  Bay  post  farther  away. 
On  coming  up  they  had  cached  some  provisions  in 
two  places  on  opposite  sides  of  the  river  —  they  kept 
crossing  to  pole  through  the  easiest  slack.  George 
accordingly  insisted  that  the  others  go  on ;  each  was 
to  follow  a  different  bank  and  the  first  to  find  the  pro- 
visions was  to  try  to  communicate  with  the  other  and 
hurry  back  with  food.  If  they  were  unable  to  locate 
the  caches  they  were  to  leave  the  river  and  push  on  in 
search  of  help.  They  agreed ;  but  deep  snow  had 
fallen  and  Clarence  Gladwyne  failed  to  find  the  cache. 
He  reached  the  hunters'  camp  famishing,  and  they 
went  back  with  him.     He  found  his  cousin  dead." 

"And  the  guide?" 

"  It's  rather  an  ugly  story.  You  nmst  have  heard 
it." 

"  I  haven't  heard  the  one  Gladwyne  told  in  Eng- 
land." 

"  The    guide    reached    the    Hudson    Bay    post  —  a 


8  THE  LONG  PORTAGE 

longer  jounicy  than  the  one  Gladwyne  made  —  in  the 
last  stage  of  exhaustion.  He  had  taken  very  little 
food  with  liiin — Gladwyne  knew  exactly  how  much  — 
and  the  Hudson  Bay  agent  decided  that  it  was  impos- 
sible he  could  have  covered  the  distance  on  the  minute 
quantity.     There  was  only  one  inference." 

"■  Tliat  he  had  found  the  cache  .'*  "  Lisle's  face 
grew  very  stem. 

Nasmyth  nodded. 

*'  In  a  way,  there  was  some  slight  excuse  for  him. 
Think  of  it  —  a  worn-out,  famishing  man,  without 
blankets  or  means  of  making  a  fire,  who  had  struggled 
over  icy  rocks  and  through  leagues  of  snow,  finding 
a  few  cans  of  provisions  and  a  little  moldy  flour! 
Even  when  he  had  satisfied  his  hunger,  he  was,  no 
doubt,  unequal  to  making  the  return  journey  to  rejoin 
a  man  who  was  probably  already  dead." 

"  If  that  man  had  found  a  scrap  of  food,  he  would 
have  tried ! " 

Lisle's  voice  had  a  curious  ring  in  it,  and  Nasmyth 
looked  at  him  hard. 

"  You  seem  convinced." 

*'  I  am ;  I  knew  him  well." 

Nasmyth  was  startled  and  he  showed  it,  but  after- 
ward he  looked  thoughtful. 

"  I  believe  I  understand,"  he  said. 

For  a  minute  or  two  there  was  silence  which  was 
broken  only  by  the  snapping  of  the  branches  on  the 
fire  and  the  hollow  roar  of  the  rapid.  The  latter  had 
a  curious,  irritating  effect  on  Nasmyth,  who  hitherto 
had  scarcely  noticed  the  insistent  pulsatory  clamor. 
At  length  Lisle  spoke  again,  laying  a  strong  restraint 
upon  himself. 


THE  GLADWYNE  EXPEDITION  9 

*'  Our  mutual  friend  called  me  Lisle  at  the  Empress 
Hotel.  I  don't  think  he  mentioned  my  first  name, 
Vernon ;  and  as  that  was  the  name  of  Gladwyne's  guide 
I  kept  it  in  the  background.  I  was  anxious  to  take 
you  with  me;  I  wanted  an  Englishman  of  some  stand- 
ing in  the  old  country  whose  word  would  be  believed. 
What  was  more,  I  wanted  an  honest  man  who  would 
form  an  unbiased  opinion.  I  didn't  know  then  that  you 
were  a  friend  of  Gladwyne's." 

Nasmyth  made  a  slight  gesture  which  suggested  the 
acknowledgment  of  a  compliment. 

"I'll  try  to  be  just  —  it's  sometimes  hard."  His 
voice  had  a  throb  of  pain  in  it  as  he  went  on :  "I 
was  the  friend  of  George  Gladwyne  —  the  one  who 
perished.      I  had  a  strong  regard  for  him." 

Something  in  his  expression  hinted  that  this  regard 
had  not  been  shared  by  the  Gladwyne  who  survived. 

"  When  my  father  first  came  out  to  British  Co- 
lumbia, new  to  the  bush  ways,"  Lisle  resumed,  "  a 
neighbor,  Vernon,  was  of  great  help  to  him  —  lent 
him  teams,  taught  him  how  to  chop,  and  what  cattle 
to  raise.  He  died  before  my  father,  and  I  was  named 
for  him;  but  he  left  a  son,  older  than  I,  who  grew 
up  like  him  —  I  believe  he  was  the  finest  chopper  and 
trailer  I  have  ever  come  across.  He  died,  as  you  have 
heard,  fron)  exposure  and  exhaustion,  a  few  days 
after  he  reached  the  Hudson  Bay  post  —  before  he 
could  clear  himself." 

Lisle  broke  off  for  a  moment  and  seemed  to  have 
some  difficulty  in  continuing. 

"  When  my  father  died,  Vernon  took  charge  of  the 
ranch,  at  my  mother's  request  —  I  was  rather  young 
and  she  meant  to  launch  me  in  some  profession.     Ver- 


10  THE  LONG  PORTAGE 

non  had  no  ambition  —  he  loved  the  bush  —  and  he 
tried  to  give  me  enough  to  finish  my  education  while  he 
ran  both  ranches  with  a  hired  man.  I  think  my 
mother  never  suspected  that  he  handed  her  over  more 
than  she  was  entitled  to,  but  I  found  it  out  and  I've 
been  glad  ever  since  that  I  firmly  prevented  his  contin- 
uing the  sacrifice.  For  all  that,  I  owe  him  in  many 
ways  more  than  I  could  ever  have  repaid."  He 
clenched  one  hand  tight  as  he  concluded :  "  I  can  at 
least  clear  his  memory." 

Nasmyth  nodded  in  sympathy. 

"  You  called  me  an  honest  man ;  you  have  my  word 
—  I'll  see  the  right  done." 

Quietly  as  it  was  spoken,  Lisle  recognized  that  it 
was  no  light  thing  his  companion  promised  him.  In 
the  Dominion,  caste  stands  by  caste,  and  Lisle,  having 
seen  and  studied  other  Englishmen  of  his  friend's  de- 
scription, knew  that  the  feeling  was  stronger  in  the 
older  country.  To  expose  a  man  of  one's  own  circle 
to  the  contempt  and  condemnation  of  outsiders  is,  in 
any  walk  of  life,  a  strangely  repugnant  thing. 

"  Well,"  he  said,  "  to-morrow  we'll  pull  out  and 
portage  across  the  divide  to  strike  the  Gladwynes' 
trail.  And  now  I'll  fry  the  trout  and  we'll  have  sup- 
per." 

They  let  the  subject  drop  by  tacit  agreement  dur- 
ing the  meal,  and  soon  after  it  was  over  a  shout  from 
the  crest  of  the  ridge  above,  followed  by  a  smashing 
of  underbrush,  announced  that  their  packer  was  mak- 
ing for  the  camp.  Lisle  answered,  and  a  cry  came 
down: 

"  Got  a  deer,  and  there  are  duck  on  the  lake  ahead ! 
We'll  try  for  some  as  we  go  up ! " 


THE  GLADWYNE  EXPEDITION  11 

Nasmyth's  smile  betokened  deep  satisfaction. 

"  Tliat's  a  weight  off  my  mind,"  he  declared.  "  I'll 
smoke  one  pipe,  and  then  I  think  I'll  go  to  sleep. 
We'll  make  a  start  with  the  first  loads  as  soon  as  it's 
light  enough." 


CHAPTER  II 


THE    DIVIDE 


DAWN  was  late  the  next  morning;  the  light 
crept  slowly  through  bitter  rain,  and  when 
Lisle  and  his  companions  had  breakfasted 
sumptuously  for  the  first  time  during  several  days  it 
was  with  reluctance  that  they  broke  camp.  Indeed, 
Nasmyth  would  have  suggested  remaining  under  shel- 
ter only  that  he  had  come  to  accept  Lisle's  decision 
as  final  and  the  latter  was  eager  to  push  on.  The 
blacktail  deer  would  not  last  them  long ;  the  trout 
were  getting  shyer  every  day  with  the  increasing  cold ; 
they  were  a  long  distance  from  the  nearest  settlement ; 
while  winter  was  rapidly  coming  on. 

Nasmyth  shouldered  his  load  with  the  others,  and 
they  set  out  across  a  strip  of  gravel  strewn  with 
boulders.  Plere  and  there  networks  of  stranded 
branches  had  to  be  floundered  through,  and  the  ragged 
ends  rasped  their  dilapidated  boots  and  bruised  their 
legs.  Then,  where  the  bluff  rose  almost  precipitously 
from  the  water,  they  crept  along  slippery  ledges,  or 
waded  through  the  shallower  pools,  with  the  white 
rapid  roaring  down  a  few  yards  outshore  of  them. 
There  were  places  where  a  slip  would  have  meant  de- 
struction, but  that  was  nothing  unusual  and  time  was 
too  precious  to  spend  in  an  attempt  to  cKmb  the  ridge 
which  hemmed  them  in. 


THE  DIVIDE  13 

The  pack-straps  hurt  Nasmyth's  shoulders  —  one 
of  them  had  been  rubbed  raw  by  previous  loads  and  it 
smarted  painfully  until  he  grew  warm  with  exertion. 
He  was  soon  wet  through ;  in  places  the  spray  drove 
into  his  face  so  that  he  could  hardly  see;  but  he  held 
on  with  dogged  determination,  trying  to  keep  up  with 
the  others.  With  the  exception  of  a  few  hunting 
trips,  his  life  had  been  smooth,  and  now,  dressed  mostly 
in  rags  and  aching  in  every  limb,  he  smiled  grimly  as 
he  remembered  how  he  had  hitherto  taken  his  pleasure. 
When  he  had  shot  partridges,  he  had,  as  a  rule,  been 
driven  to  such  stubble  or  turnip  fields  as  lay  at  any 
distance  from  his  residence,  and  he  had  usually  been 
provided  with  a  pony  when  he  ascended  the  high  moors 
in  search  of  grouse.  Money  smoothed  out  many  small 
difficulties  in  the  older  land,  but  it  was  powerless  in 
the  wilds  of  the  new  one,  where  one  must  depend  on 
such  things  as  native  courage,  brute  strength,  and  the 
capacity  for  dogged  endurance,  which  are  common  to 
all  ranks  of  men.  It  was  fortunate  for  Nasmyth  that 
he  possessed  them,  but  that,  as  he  was  discovering,  is 
not  quite  enough.  They  are  great  gifts  in  the  raw, 
but,  like  most  others,  they  need  exercise  and  assiduous 
cultivation  for  their  full  development. 

On  reaching  the  head  of  the  rapid,  they  went  back 
for  another  load,  and  afterward  Jake  got  into  the 
canoe,  while  Lisle  fixed  the  end  of  the  tracking-line 
about  his  shoulders.  Aided  by  the  line,  the  packer 
swung;  the  canoe  across  madlv  whirling  eddies  and  in 
and  out  among  foam-lapped  rocks,  and  now  and  then 
drove  her,  half  hidden  by  the  leaping  froth,  up  some 
tumultuous  rush.  At  times  Lisle,  wading  waist-deep 
and  dragged  almost  off  his  feet,  barely  held  her  sta- 


14  THE  LONG  PORTAGE 

tionarj  —  Nasmyth  could  see  his  chest  heave  and  his 
face  grow  darkly  flushed  —  but  in  another  instant 
they  were  going  on  again.  That  a  craft  could  be 
propelled  up  any  part  of  the  rapid  would,  Nasmyth 
thought,  have  appeared  absolutely  incredible  to  any 
one  who  had  not  seen  it  done. 

At  last,  however,  the  task  became  too  hard  for  them 
and  after  dragging  her  out  they  carried  her,  upside 
down,  in  turn.  It  was  difficult  for  them  to  see  where 
they  were  going,  and  the  craft,  made  from  a  hollowed 
log,  was  by  no  means  so  well  fitted  for  the  work  as  the 
bark  or  canvas  canoe  of  the  more  eastern  wilds.  She 
was  comparatively  heavy,  and  their  heads  and  shoul- 
ders were  inside  of  her.  Once  or  twice  the  portager 
fell ;  and  the  fall  is  an  awkward  one,  as  it  is  impossible 
to  break  it  with  one's  hands,  which  are  occupied  in 
holding  the  canoe.  Still,  they  made  progress,  and, 
launching  again  above  the  rapid,  they  reached  a  lake 
at  noon,  by  hard  paddling.  Here  they  landed,  and 
Nasmyth  dropped  down  upon  a  boulder  to  look  about 
him. 

It  was  a  cheerless  prospect  he  saw  through  the  haze 
of  rain.  Back  into  the  distance  ran  a  stretch  of  slate- 
gray  water,  flecked  and  seamed  by  the  white  tops  of 
little  splashing  waves,  for  a  nipping  wind  blew  down 
the  lake.  On  either  side  rose  low  hills,  dotted  here 
and  there  Avith  somber  and  curiously  rigid  trees.  They 
were  not  large,  and  though  from  a  distance  they 
looked  much  the  same,  Nasmyth  recognized  some  as 
spruce  and  supposed  the  other  ragged  spires  to  be 
cedars.  In  one  spot  there  were  some  that  resembled 
English  larch,  and  these  were  almost  bare. 

Then    his    companions   began    to    discuss    the   best 


THE  DIVIDE  15 

means  of  further  progress.  With  a  fresh  breeze 
ahead,  Jake  advocated  poHng  through  tlie  shallows 
near  the  beach ;  and  Lisle,  with  a  courtesy  which  Nas- 
nijth  liad  already  noticed,  turned  toward  him  when 
he  answered,  as  if  his  opinion  might  be  valuable. 

"  The  trouble  is  that  the  beach  sweeps  back  off  the 
straight.  We'd  drive  her  right  up  the  middle  to  head- 
water with  the  paddle  before  we'd  make  two-thirds  of 
the  way  poling  alongshore." 

"  It  would  be  a  good  deal  harder  work,  wouldn't 
it.'* "  Nasmyth  ventured,  and  laughed  when  he  saw 
Lisle's  faint  amusement.  "  I  suppose  that  doesn't 
count.  It's  not  worth  mentioning,"  he  added. 
"  Since  you're  anxious  to  get  on,  what's  the  use  of 
stopping  for  dinner.''  After  the  breakfast  I  had,  I 
can  hold  out  some  time." 

"  I  want  to  get  through  as  quickly  as  I  can ;  that's 
why  I'm  not  going  to  rush  you  unless  it's  necessary," 
Lisle  answered.  "  Try  to  get  hold  of  the  fact  that  a 
man  needs  food  regularly  to  keep  him  in  efficient  going 
order." 

"  Indisputable,"  Nasmyth  agreed.  "  But  he  can 
do  witliout  it  and  work  for  a  while.  We've  proved 
it." 

"  Not  without  paying,"  Lisle  pointed  out.  "  You 
can  draw  upon  your  reserves,  but  it  takes  time  and  rest 
to  make  them  good.  We  may  need  all  ours  badly  be- 
fore we're  through." 

There  was  a  grim  hint  In  his  last  words  which  Nas- 
m^'th  found  convincing,  and  when  he  had  rested  he 
helped  to  prepare  the  meal.  It  was  a  simple  one  — 
cold  doughy  cakes  baked  in  a  fr\'ing-pan,  extraor- 
dinarily tough  and  stringy  venison,  with  a  pint-can 


16  THE  LONG  PORTAGE 

each  of  strong  green  tea.     Their  sugar  had  long  ago 
melted  and  the  condensed  milk  was  exhausted. 

Afterward,  they  shoved  the  canoe  out  and  paddled 
doggedly  into  the  driving  rain  and  the  strong  head- 
wind. The  spray  from  the  splashing  bows  blew  into 
their  faces,  and  the  broken  water  checked  them  badly. 
Nasmyth's  hands  began  to  blister.  To  make  it  worse, 
there  was  a  raw  wound  on  one  of  them,  the  result  of  a 
similar  day's  toil;  and  his  knees  chafed  sore  against 
the  branches  in  the  craft's  bottom.  There  was,  how- 
ever, no  respite  —  the  moment  they  slackened  their 
exertions  they  would  drift  to  lee  —  and  he  held  on, 
keeping  awkward  stroke  with  Jake,  while  Lisle  swung 
the  balancing  paddle  astern. 

They  kept  it  up  for  several  hours,  and  then,  toward 
evening,  the  rain  ceased  and  the  clouds  rolled  aside. 
A  wonderful  yellow  light  shone  behind  the  bordering 
hills,  and  the  twisted,  wind-battered  cedars  on  their 
crests  stood  out  against  it  in  hard,  fretted  tracery. 
The  wind  dropped ;  the  short,  white  waves  smoothed 
down ;  the  water,  heaving  gently,  gleamed  with  a  cop- 
pery glare,  and  the  paddle  blades  seemed  to  splash  up 
liquid  fire.  Then  the  shores  closed  in  ahead,  and, 
landing  on  a  shingle  beach,  they  made  camp  in  the 
mouth  of  a  gap  among  the  hills.  Supper  was  pre- 
pared and  eaten,  and  afterward  Jake  took  up  his 
rifle. 

"  I  saw  some  ducks  in  the  next  bay,"  he  explained. 

He  strolled  out  of  camp,  and  Nasmyth  smiled  at 
Lisle. 

"  Except  when  he  advised  you  to  pole,  that's  about 
all  he  has  said  to-day." 

This  was  correct.     The  packer  was  a  taciturn  in- 


THE  DIVIDE  17 

habitant  of  the  wilds  who  seldom  indulged  in  an  un- 
necessary remark.  There  was,  however,  no  morose- 
ness  about  him ;  the  man  was  good-humored  in  his 
quiet  way,  and  his  usual  ruminative  calm  was  no  de- 
terrent from  apparently  tireless  action.  For  the  most 
part,  he  lived  alone  in  the  impressive  stillness  of  the 
bush,  where  he  had  a  few  acres  of  partly  cleared  land 
which  failed  to  provide  him  with  a  living.  For  that 
reason,  he  periodically  left  his  tiny  log  house  and 
packed  for  some  survey  expedition,  or  went  down  to 
work  for  a  few  months  at  a  sawmill.  Capable  of  most 
determined  labor,  wonderfully  proficient  with  his 
hands,  he  asked  no  more  from  life  than  a  little  plain 
food  and  indifferent  shelter.  No  luxury  that  civiliza- 
tion could  offer  would  have  tempted  him  to  desert  the 
wilds. 

Lisle  filled  his  pipe  with  leisurel}^  content.  He  shared 
Jake's  love  for  the  wilderness,  and  he  found  it 
strangely  pleasant  to  rest  in  camp  after  a  day's  per- 
sistent toil.  Besides,  he  usually  enjoyed  his  evening 
chat  with  Nasrayth,  for,  widely  different  as  their  train- 
ing and  mode  of  life  had  been,  they  had  much  in  com- 
mon. Then,  too,  there  was  something  in  the  prospect 
spread  out  before  them  that  impelled  tranquillity. 
The  clump  of  wet  cedars  among  which  they  had 
camped  distilled  a  clean,  aromatic  smell ;  and  there  Avas 
a  freshness  in  the  cool  evening  air  that  reinvigorated 
their  tired  bodies.  Above  the  low  hilltops  the  sky 
glimmered  Ayith  saffron  and  transcendental  green,  and 
half  the  lake  shone  in  ethereal  splendor;  the  other  half 
was  dim  and  bordered  with  the  sharply-cut  shadows 
of  the  trees.  Except  for  the  lap  of  water  upon  the 
pebbles  and  the  wild  cry  of  a  loon  that  rang  like  a 


18  THE  LONG  PORTAGE 

peal  of  unearthly  laughter  out  of  a  darkening  bay, 
there  was  nothing  to  break  the  deep  stillness  of  the 
waste. 

Lisle  pointed  to  the  gap  in  the  hills,  which  was  fill- 
ing with  thin  white  mist. 

"  That's  the  last  big  portage  the  Gladwynes  made," 
he  remarked.  "  They  came  in  by  a  creek  to  the  west, 
and  they  were  badly  played  out  when  they  struck  this 
divide ;  the  struggle  to  get  through  broke  them  up." 
He  paused  before  he  added :  "  What  kind  of  men 
were  they?  " 

"  George  wasn't  effusive ;  he  was  the  kind  of  man 
you  like  better  the  longer  you  know  him.  If  I  were 
told  that  he  ever  did  a  mean  thing,  I  wouldn't  believe 
it.  His  last  action  —  sending  the  others  on  —  was 
characteristic." 

"  They  didn't  want  to  go,"  Lisle  interposed  quietly. 

His  companion  nodded. 

"  I  believe  that's  true.     I  like  to  think  so." 

There  was  something  curious  in  his  tone,  which  Lisle 
noticed. 

"  From  the  beginning,"  Nasmyth  went  on, 
"  George  behaved  very  generously  to  Clarence." 

"  It  was  Clarence  that  I  meant  to  ask  about  more 
particularly." 

Nasmyth  looked  thoughtful,  and  when  he  answered, 
it  struck  Lisle  that  he  was  making  an  effort  to  give  an 
unbiased  opinion. 

"  Clarence,"  he  said,  "  is  more  likable  when  you  first 
meet  him  than  George  used  to  be ;  a  handsome  man 
who  knows  how  to  say  the  right  thing.  Makes  friends 
readily,  but  somehow  he  never  keeps  the  best  of  them. 
He's  one  of  the  people  who  seem  able  to  get  whatever 


THE  DIVIDE  19 

they  want  without  having  to  struggle  for  it  and  who 
rarely  land  in  any   difficulty." 

Again  a  ginidging  note  became  apparent,  as  tliough 
the  speaker  were  trying  to  subdue  faint  suspicion  or 
disapproval,  and  Lisle  changed  the  subject. 

"  Had  George  Gladwyne  any  immediate  relatives?  " 

"  One  sister,  as  like  him  as  it's  possible  for  a  woman 
to  be.  He  wasn't  greatly  given  to  society;  I  don't 
think  he'd  ever  have  married.  His  death  was  a  crush- 
ing blow  to  the  girl  —  they  were  wonderfully  attached 
to  each  other  —  but  I've  never  seen  a  finer  display  of 
courage  than  hers  when  Clarence  cabled  the  news.'' 

He  broke  off,  as  if  he  felt  that  he  had  been  talking 
with  too  much  freedom,  and  just  then  the  report  of 
a  rifle  came  ringing  across  the  water. 

"That's  a  duck's  head  shot  off.  Jake  doesn't 
miss,"  he  said. 

Lisle  nodded.  He  could  take  a  hint ;  and  he  had  no 
doubt  that  Nasmyth  was  right  regarding  the  shot, 
though  it  is  not  easy  to  decapitate  a  swimming  duck 
with  a  rifle.  He  began  to  talk  about  the  portage ; 
and  soon  after  Jake  returned  with  a  single  duck  they 
went  to  sleep. 

It  was  clear  and  bright  the  next  morning  and  they 
spent  the  day  carrying  their  loads  a  few  miles  up 
the  hollow  which  pierced  the  height  of  the  divide. 
Part  of  it  was  a  morass,  fissured  with  little  creeks 
running  down  from  the  hills  whose  tops  rose  at  no 
great  elevation  above  the  opening.  This  was  bad  to 
traverse,  but  it  was  worse  when  they  came  to  a  muskeg 
where  dwarf  forest  had  once  covered  what  was  tiow 
a  swamp.  Most  of  the  trees  had  fallen  as  the  soil, 
from  some  change  in  the  lake's  level,  had  grown  too 


20  THE  LONG  PORTAGE 

wet.     Thej  had  partly  rotted  in  the  slough,  and  wil- 
lows had  afterward  grown  up  among  them. 

Now  and  then  the  men  laid  down  their  loads  and 
hewed  a  few  of  the  still  standing  trunks,  letting  them 
fall  to  serve  as  rude  bridges  where  the  morass  was 
almost  impassable,  but  the  real  struggle  began  when 
they  went  back  for  the  canoe.  At  first  they  man- 
aged to  carry  her  on  their  shoulders,  wading  in  the 
bog,  but  afterward  she  must  be  dragged  through  or 
over  innumerable  tangles  of  small  fallen  trunks  and 
networks  of  rotten  branches  that  had  to  be  laboriously 
smashed.  It  was  heroic  labor  —  sometimes  they  spent 
an  hour  making  sixty  yards  —  and  Lisle's  face  grew 
anxious  as  well  as  determined.  Game  had  been  very 
scarce ;  the  deer  would  not  last  them  long ;  and  dis- 
astrous results  might  follow  a  continuance  of  their 
present  slow  progress.  When,  utterly  worn  out,  they 
made  camp  on  slightly  firmer  ground  toward  four 
o'clock  in  the  afternoon,  Lisle  strode  ofi^  heavily  to- 
ward the  bordering  hills,  while  Jake  pushed  on  to 
prospect  ahead.  Nasm.^'th,  who  was  quite  unable  to 
accompany  either,  prepared  the  supper  and  awaited 
their  reports  with  some  anxiety. 

Lisle  came  back  first  and  shook  his  head  when  Nas- 
myth  asked  if  he  had  found  a  better  route  on  higher 
ground. 

"  Not  a  slope  we  could  haul  along,"  he  reported. 
"  That  way's  impracticable." 

It  was  nearly  dark  when  Jake  came  in. 

"  It's  not  too  bad  ahead,"  he  informed  them. 

They  were  not  greatly  reassured,  because  Jake's 
idea  of  what  was  really  bad  was  alarming.  Nasmyth 
glanced  at  his  companion  with  a  smile. 


THE  DIVIDE  21 

"  Is  it  any  better  than  this?  "  lie  asked. 

"  A    little,"    answered    Jake.     "  An    old    trail    runs 


in." 


"  Gladwyne's  trail  ?  "  exclaimed  Nasinyth.  "  The 
one  we're  looking  for.''  " 

"  Why,  yes,"  drawled  Jake,  as  if  it  were  scarcely 
worth  mentioning.      "  I  guess  it  is." 

Nasmyth  turned  to  Lisle. 

*'  I  was  lucky  when  I  lighted  on  you  as  a  companion 
for  this  trip.  You  have  been  right  in  your  predic- 
tions all  along,  and  now  you're  only  out  in  striking 
the  trail  a  day  before  you  expected." 

"  I  know  the  bush,"  returned  Lisle.  "  It's  been 
pretty  cas}'^  so  far  —  but,  for  several  reasons,  I  wish 
the  next  week  or  two  were  over." 

Nasmyth  looked  troubled.  One  could  have  imag- 
ined that  misgivings  which  did  not  concern  his  per- 
sonal safety  were  creeping  into  his  mind. 

*'  So  do  I,"  he  confessed,  and  turning  toward  the 
fire  he  busied  himself  with  Jake's  supper. 

There  was  no  change  in  the  work  the  next  morning, 
but  in  the  afternoon  it  became  evident  that  another 
party  had  made  that  portage  ahead  of  them.  The 
soil  was  a  little  drier  and  where  the  small  trees  grew 
more  thickly  they  could  see  that  a  passage  had  been 
laboriously  cleared.  In  the  swampy  hollows,  which 
still  occurred,  trunks  had  here  and  there  been  flung  into 
the  ooze.  This  saved  them  some  trouble  and  they  made 
better  progress,  but  both  Lisle  and  Nasmyth  became 
silent  and  grave  as  the  signs  of  their  predecessors' 
march  grew  pkxincr.  By  nightfall  the}'  had  reached 
the  second  camping-place,  which  told  an  eloquent  stor}' 
of  struggle  with  fatigue  and  exhaustion.     Lisle,  stop- 


22  THE  LONG  PORTAGE 

ping  in  the  gathering  dusk,  glanced  around  the  old 
camp  site. 

"  A  good  place  to  pitch  the  tent,  but  I  think  I'd 
rather  move  on  a  little,"  he  said. 

Nasmyth  made  a  sign  of  comprehension. 

*'  Yes,"  he  agreed.  "  I  couldn't  sleep  soundly  here. 
Ever3^thing  about  us  is  too  plain  a  reminder;  I've  no 
doubt  you  feel  it  as  I  do.  A  firm  and  trusted  friend 
lay,  famishing,  beside  that  fire,  in  what  extremity  of 
weakness  and  suffering  I  dare  not  let  myself  think. 
It's  possible  he  cut  those  branches  yonder." 

Lisle's  face  expressed  emotion  sternly  held  in  check. 

"  That  was  Vernon's  work  —  no  Englishman  new 
to  the  country  could  have  slashed  them  off  so  cleanly. 
But  look  at  this  small  spruce  stump.  He  was  the  bet- 
ter chopper,  but  it's  significant  that  he  used  three  or 
four  strokes  where  I  would  have  taken  one." 

Even  the  laconic  Jake  appeared  relieved  when  they 
forced  their  way  a  little  farther  through  the  tangled 
undergrowth,  until  finding  a  clear  space  they  set  up  the 
tent. 


CHArTER  III 


THE    CACHE 


T 


IIIEY  spent  the  greater  part  of  a  week  on  the 
portage,  crossing  here  and  there  a  little  lake ; 
and  then  came  out  one  evening  on  a  river  that 
flowed,  green  and  tranquil,  beneath  a  ridge  of  hills. 
Here  thej  camped;  and  on  rising  with  a  shiver  in  the 
raw  and  nipping  dawn  the  next  morning,  Nasmyth 
found  Lisle  busy  at  the  fire.  Jake  was  cutting  wood 
some  distance  off,  for  the  thud  of  his  ax  rang  sharply 
through  the  stillness. 

"  I  was  awake  —  thinking  —  a  good  deal  last  night ; 
in  fact,  I've  been  restless  ever  since  we  struck  the 
Gladwynes'  trail,"  Nasmyth  began.  "  Now,  I  under- 
stand that  an  uninterrupted  journey  of  about  sixteen 
days  would  take  us  well  on  our  way  toward  civilization. 
You  say  you  apprehend  no  difficulty  after  that?  " 

*'  No."  Lisle  waited,  watching  his  companion  in  an 
intent  fashion. 

Nasmyth  hesitated. 

"  Then,  considering  everything,  mightn't  it  be  bet- 
ter to  waste  no  time,  and  push  straight  on  ?  " 

"  And  leave  the  work  that  brought  me  here  —  I  be- 
lieve that  brought  us  both  here  —  undone?  " 

*'  You'll  forgive  me  if  I  don't  express  myself  very 
fortunately.  What  I  feel  is  this  —  Gladwyne's  story 
is  a  tragic  one,  but  it's  twelve  months  old.  In  a  way, 
it's  forgotten ;  the  wounds  it  made  have  healed." 

23 


24.  THE  LONG  PORTAGE 

"  Is  such  a  man  as  the  one  you  have  described  for- 
gotten in  a  year?  "  Lisle  asked  with  a  hardening  ex- 
pression. 

Nasmyth,  being  a  man  of  simple  and,  for  the  most 
part,  wholesome  ideas,  was  in  a  quandary.  His  feelings 
were  generous,  but  he  shrank  from  putting  them  into 
words.  INIoreover  he  was  just  and  was  not  wholly  con- 
vinced that  the  course  he  wished  to  recommend  was 
right. 

"  Well,"  he  contended,  "  there  are  faithful  hearts 
that  never  quite  forget  —  with  them  the  scar  remains ; 
but  it's  fortunate  that  the  first  keen  pain  does  not  last. 
Is  it  decent  —  I  almost  think  that's  the  right  word  — 
to  reopen  the  wound.'*  " 

He  paused  and  spread  out  one  hand  as  if  in  ex- 
postulation. 

"  Your  late  comrade  has  gone  beyond  3'our  help  ;  you 
told  me  he  had  left  no  relatives ;  and  you  have  only 
yourself  to  consider.  Can  you  do  any  good  by  bring- 
ing this  sorrowful  tale  of  disaster  up  again.''  " 

"  Are  you  pleading  for  your  English  friends,  anx- 
ious to  save  them  pain  at  my  expense?  Can't  you 
understand  my  longing  to  clear  my  dead  partner's 
name  ?  " 

A  trace  of  color  crept  into  Nasmyth's  face. 

"  I  suppose  I  deserve  that,  though  it  wasn't  quite 
the  only  thing  I  meant.  I've  an  idea  that  you  are 
somehow  going  to  lay  up  trouble  for  yourself  by  per- 
severing in  this  search." 

"  I  don't  want  to  be  offensive ;  but  can't  you  see  that 
by  urging  me  to  let  the  thing  drop  you  are  casting 
grave  doubts  upon  the  honor  of  a  man  of  your  own 
caste  and  kind,  one  with  whom  you  are   closely   ac- 


THE  CACHE  25 

qualnted?  Are  you  afraid  to  investigate,  to  look  for 
proofs  of  Clarence  Gladwyne's  story  ?  " 

Nasmyth  looked  him  steadily  in  the  eyes. 

"  For  the  sake  of  one  or  two  others,  I  think  I  am. 
Your  belief  in  the  guide,  Vernon,  has  had  its  effect 
on  me." 

"  Tlien,"  said  Lisle,  "  I  have  no  fear  of  putting  my 
belief  to  the  test ;  I  came  up  here  for  that  purpose,  and 
I  mean  to  call  upon  you  as  my  witness.  As  you  said 
of  George  Gladwyne,  the  man  I  owe  so  much  to  never 
did  a  shabby  thing.  That  he  should  have  deserted  a 
star'  i  ig  comrade  is  clean  impossible  !  " 

"  I  suppose  there's  no  help  for  it,"  responded  Nas- 
myth, with  a  gesture  of  acquiescence.  "  We  have  said 
enough.      Since  you  insist,  I'll  stand  by  my  promise." 

The  thudding  of  the  ax  ceased,  and  they  heard  Jake 
returning  with  the  wood.  Lisle  set  out  the  simple 
breakfast,  and  when  they  had  eaten  they  launched  the 
canoe  and  floated  swiftly  down  the  smooth  green  river 
all  that  day.  They  had  accomplished  the  worst  half 
of  the  journey;  hencefonvard  their  way  lay  down- 
stream, and  with  moderate  good  fortune  they  need 
have  no  apprehension  about  safely  reaching  the  settle- 
ments, but  they  were  both  silent  and  ill  at  ease.  Lisle 
was  consumed  with  fierce  impatience;  and  Nasmyth 
shrank  from  what  might  shortly  be  revealed  to  him. 
Scarcely  a  word  was  spoken  when  they  lay  in  camp 
that  night. 

The  next  day  they  came  to  the  head  of  a  long  and 
furiously-running  rapid.  Rocks  encumbered  its  chan- 
nel ;  the  stream  boiled  fiercely  over  sunken  ledges,  drop- 
ping several  feet  here  and  there  in  angry  falls ;  and 
in  one  place,  where  the  banks  narrowed  in,   a  white 


26  THE  LONG  PORTAGE 

stretch  of  foaming  waves  ran  straight  down  the  mid- 
dle. Here  they  unloaded  and  spent  the  day  labori- 
ously relaying  their  stores  and  camp-gear  over  the 
boulders  and  ragged  ledges  between  a  wall  of  rock  and 
the  water.  It  was  a  remarkably  difficult  traverse.  In 
places  they  had  to  hoist  the  leader  up  to  some  slip- 
pery shelf  he  could  not  reach  unassisted  and  to  which 
he  dragged  his  companions  up  in  turn ;  in  others  deep 
pools  barred  their  way,  and  in  skirting  them  they 
were  forced  to  cling  to  any  indifferent  handhold  on  the 
rock's  fissured  side.  As  they  toiled  on,  badly  ham- 
pered by  their  loads,  the  same  thought  was  in  the 
minds  of  two  of  the  men  —  a  wonder  as  to  how  Glad- 
wyne's  exhausted  party  had  crossed  that  portage,  un- 
less the  water  had  been  lower.  It  was  not  difficult  to 
understand  how  the  famishing  leader  had  fallen  and 
lamed  himself. 

When  at  last,  toward  the  end  of  the  afternoon,  the 
stores  had  been  deposited  on  the  banks  of  the  pool 
below,  Lisle  sat  down  and  filled  his  pipe. 

"  It  would  take  us  most  of  two  days  to  portage  the 
canoe,  and  we  might  damage  her  badly  i.i  doing  so," 
he  said.  "  The  head  of  the  rapid's  impossible,  but 
with  luck  we  might  run  her  down  the  rest  in  about  ten 
minutes.  The  thing  seems  worth  trying,  though  I 
wouldn't  have  risked  it  with  the  stores  on  board." 

"  Suppose  you  swamped  or  upset  hev?  "  Nasmyth 
suggested. 

"  It's  less  likely,  since  she'd  go  light,  with  only  two 
of  us  paddling." 

Nasmyth  considered.  The  sight  of  the  rapid  was 
not  encouraging,  but  he  shrank  from  the  intense  effort 
that  would  be  needed  to  transport  the  craft  by  the  way 


THE  CACHE  27 

they  had  come.  Eventually  it  was  decided  to  leave 
Jake  below,  ready  to  swim  out  with  the  trackin^T-line 
and  seize  the  canoe  if  any  mishap  befell,  and  Lisle 
and  Nasmyth  went  back  to  the  head  of  the  rapid. 
They  dragged  the  canoe  round  the  worst  rush  with 
infinite  difficulty ;  and  then  Nasmyth  set  his  lips  and 
braced  himself  for  the  mad  descent  when  his  compan- 
ion thrust  her  off. 

A  few  strokes  of  the  paddle  drove  them  out  into  the 
stream,  and  then  their  task  consisted  in  holding  her 
straight  and  swinging  her  clear  of  the  rocks  that 
showed  up  through  the  leaping  foam,  which  was  dif- 
ficult enough.  Seen  from  the  water,  the  prospect  was 
almost  appalling,  though  it  was  blurred  and  momen- 
tarily changing.  Nasmyth's  eyes  could  hardly  grasp 
salient  details  —  he  had  only  a  confused  impression 
of  flying  spray,  rushing  green  water  that  piled  itself 
here  and  there  in  frothy  ridges,  flitting  rocks,  and 
trees  that  came  furiously  speeding  up  toward  him. 
He  had  an  idea  that  Lisle  once  or  twice  shouted  sharp 
instruction"  and  that  he  clumsily  obeyed,  but  he  could 
not  have  told  exactly  what  he  did.  He  only  knew 
that  now  and  then  he  paddled  desperately,  but  more 
often  he  knelt  still,  gazing  fascinated  at  the  mad  tur- 
moil in  front  of  him. 

At  last  there  was  an  urgent  cry  from  Lisle  and  he 
backed  his  paddle.  The  canoe  swerved,  a  foaming 
wave  broke  into  her,  and  in  another  moment  Nasmyth 
was  in  the  water.  He  was  dragged  down  by  the 
swirling  stream,  and  when  he  rose  he  dimly  saw  the 
canoe  a  few  yards  in  front  of  him.  He  failed  to 
reach  her  —  she  was  traveling  faster  than  he  was  — 
and,    though   he   could   swim   well,   he   grew    horribly 


28  THE  LONG  PORTAGE 

afraid.  It  struck  him  that  there  was  a  strong  proba- 
bility of  his  being  driven  against  a  boulder  with  force 
enough  to  break  his  bones  or  of  being  drawn  down 
and  battered  against  the  stony  bottom.  Still,  he 
struck  out  for  a  line  of  leaping  froth  between  him 
and  the  bank  and  was  nearing  it  when  Lisle  grasped 
his  shoulder  and  thrust  him  straight  down-stream. 
Scarcely  able  to  see  amid  the  turmoil,  confused  and 
bewildered,  he  nevertheless  realized  that  it  was  not 
desirable  to  attempt  a  landing  where  he  had  intended. 
Yielding  to  the  guiding  impulse,  he  floundered  down- 
stream, until  Lisle  again  seized  him  and  drove  him 
shoreward,  and  a  few  moments  later  he  stood  up, 
breathless,  in  a  few  feet  of  slacker  water.  He  waded 
to  the  bank,  and  then  turned  to  Lisle,  who  was  close 
behind. 

"  Thanks,"  he  gasped.  "  I  owe  you  something  for 
that." 

"  Pshaw  !  "  disclaimed  the  other.  "  I  only  pulled 
you  back.  You'd  have  got  badly  hammered  if  you'd 
tried  to  cross  that  ledge.  I'd  noticed  the  inshore  swirl 
close  below  it  when  we  were  packing  along  the  bank, 
and  remembered  that  we  could  land  in  it." 

"  But  you  had  hold  of  the  canoe.  I  saw  you  close 
beside  her." 

"  I  only  wanted  her  to  take  me  past  the  ledge,"  Lisle 
explained.  "  I'd  no  notion  of  going  right  through 
with  her.     Now  we'll  make  for  camp." 

On  arriving  there  as  darkness  closed  down,  they 
found  that  Jake  had  recovered  the  craft.  The  pad- 
dles had  gone,  but  he  could  make  another  pair  in  an 
hour  or  two.  They  had  a  few  dry  things  to  put  on, 
and   as   they   lay   beside   the  fire   after   supper   they 


THE  CACHE  29 

were  sensible  that  the  slight  constraint  both  had  felt 
for  the  last  two  days  had  vanished.  Neither  would 
have  alluded  to  the  feeling  which  had  replaced  it, 
nor,  indeed,  could  have  clearly  expressed  his  thoughts, 
but  mutual  liking,  respect  and  confidence  had  suddenly 
changed  to  something  stronger.  During  the  few  min- 
utes they  spent  in  the  water  a  bond,  indefinite,  inde- 
scribable, but  not  to  be  broken,  had  been  forged  be- 
tween the  two. 

The  next  morning  it  was  clear  and  cold,  and  they 
made  good  progress  until  they  landed  late  in  the  after- 
noon. Then,  after  scrambling  some  distance  over 
loose  gravel.  Lisle  and  Nasmyth  stopped  beside  a 
slight  hollow  in  a  wall  of  rock.  A  few  large  stones 
had  been  rudely  placed  on  one  another  to  fonn  a  shel- 
ter ;  there  were  still  some  small  spruce  branches,  which 
had  evidently  been  used  for  a  roof,  scattered  about ; 
and  the  remains  of  a  torn  and  moldering  blanket  lay 
near  b}'.  In  another  place  was  a  holed  frying-pan 
and  a  battered  kettle. 

Nasmyth  gravely  took  off  his  shapeless  hat,  and 
stood  glancing  about  him  with  a  fixed  expression. 

"  This,"  he  said  quietly,  "  is  where  my  friend  died 
—  as  you  have  heard,  they  afterward  took  his  body 
out.  There  are  few  men  who  could  compare  Avith 
that  one ;  I  can't  forget  him." 

There  was  nothing  to  be  done,  and  little  that  could 
be  said;  and  they  turned  away  from  the  scene  of  the 
traged}',  where  a  man,  who  to  the  last  had  thought 
first  of  his  companions,  had  met  his  lonely  end. 
Launching  the  canoe,  they  sped  on  down-river,  mak- 
ing a  few  easier  portages,  and  four  days  later  they 
landed    on   the   bank    of   a   turbulent    reach    shut    in 


so  THE  LONG  PORTAGE 

by  steep,  stony  slopes.  There  was  a  little  brush- 
wood here  and  there,  but  not  a  tree  of  any  kind. 

"  It  was  on  this  beach  that  Gladvv}  ne  made  one 
cache,"  said  Lisle.  "  If  there  had  been  a  cypress  or 
a  cedar  near,  he'd  have  blazed  a  mark  on  it.  As  it 
is,  we'd  better  look  for  a  heap  of  stones." 

They  searched  for  some  time  without  finding  any- 
thing, for  straight  beach  and  straight  river  presented 
no  prominent  feature  which  any  one  making  a  cache 
would  fix  upon  as  guide.  Lisle  directed  Nasmyth's 
attention  to  this. 

"  There  was  deep  snow  when  Vernon  came  down  the 
gorge,  on  this  side,"  he  pointed  out.  "It  doesn't 
follow  that  he  was  with  the  others  when  they 
buried  the  stores  —  he  might  have  been  carrying  up 
a  load  —  and  it's  possible  they  couldn't  give  him  a 
very  exact  description.  If  I'm  right  in  this,  he'd 
have  a  long  stretch  of  beach  to  search,  and  a  man's 
senses  aren't  as  keen  as  usual  when  he's  badly  played 
out." 

Nasmyth  made  no  comment,  but  his  expression  sug- 
gested that  he  would  not  be  disappointed  if  they  failed 
to  strike  the  cache.  Shortly  afterward,  however,  Jake 
called  out,  and  on  joining  him  they  saw  a  cross 
scratched  on  a  slab  of  slightly  projecting  rock.  Even 
with  that  to  guide  them,  it  was  some  time  before  they 
came  upon  a  few  stones  roughly  piled  together  and 
almost  hidden  in  a  bank  of  shingle. 

"  First  of  all,  I  want  you  to  notice  that  this  gravel 
has  slipped  down  from  the  bluff  after  the  cache  was 
made,"  Lisle  said  to  Nasmyth.  "  With  snow  on  the 
ground  and  the  slab  yonder  covered,  it  would  be  almost 
impossible  to  locate  it."     He  turned  to  Jake.     "  How 


THE  CACHE  31 

long  would  you  say  it  was  since  the  rain  or  frost 
brought  that  small  stuff  down  ?  " 

Jake  glanced  at  the  young  brushwood  growing 
higher  up  the  slope.  It  was  shorter  than  that  sur- 
rounding it,  and  evidently  covered  the  spot  which  the 
mass  of  debris  had  laid  bare  in  its  descent. 

"  Part  of  one  summer  and  all  the  next,"  he  an- 
swered decidedly. 

"  Tell  us  how  you  figured  it  out." 

Jake  climbed  the  bank  and  returned  with  two  or 
three  young  branches  which  he  handed  to  Lisle. 

"  The  thing's  plain  enough  to  you."  He  turned 
toward  Nasmyth.  "  No  growth  except  in  the  sum- 
mer—  they'd  had  a  few  warm  months  to  start  them, 
but  they  don't  fork  until  the  second  year.  See  these 
shoots.''  " 

"  As  winter  was  beginning  when  the  Gladwyne  party 
came  down,  that  small  landslide  must  have  taken  place 
some  time  before  then,"  declared  Lisle. 

They  set  to  work  and  carefully  moved  aside  the 
stones.  First  they  uncovered  three  cans  of  preserved 
meat,  and  then  a  small  flour  bag  which  had  rotted 
and  now  disclosed  a  hard  and  moldy  mass  inside. 
There  was  also  another  bag  wliich  had  evidentl}"^  con- 
tained sugar;  and  a  few  other  things.  All  examined 
them  in  silence,  and  then  sat  down  grave  in  face. 

"  It's  unfortunate  that  nobody  could  positively  state 
whether  this  cache  has  been  opened  or  not  since  it  was 
made,  but  there  are  a  few  points  to  guide  us,"  said 
Lisle.  "  Do  you  know  what  kind  of  food  civilized 
men  who've  been  compelled  to  Avork  to  exhaustion  on 
insufficient  rations,  helped  out  by  a  little  fish  or  game, 
generally  long  for  most.?  " 


32  THE  LONG  PORTAGE 

*'  No,"  answered  Nasmyth,  with  a  feeble  attempt  at 
levity.  "  I've  now  and  then  remembered  with  regret 
the  kind  of  dinner  I  used  to  get  in  England." 

"  You  have  scarcely  felt  the  pinch,"  Lisle  in- 
formed him.  "  The  two  things  are  farinaceous  stuff 
and  sugar.  No  doubt,  it  will  occur  to  jou  that  Ver- 
non might  have  taken  a  can  or  two  of  meat ;  but  that's 
not  likely." 

"  If  you're  right  about  the  longing  for  flour  and 
sweet-stuff,  it's  a  strong  point,"  Nasmyth  declared, 
*'  Where  did  you  learn  the  fact  ?  " 

Lisle  looked  at  Jake,  and  the  packer  smiled  in  a 
significant  manner. 

"  He's  right,"  he  vouched.     "  We  know." 

"  Then,"  continued  Lisle,  indicating  the  sugar  bag, 
which  had  been  wrapped  in  a  waterproof  sheet,  "  can 
you  imagine  a  starving  man,  in  desperate  haste,  mak- 
ing up  this  package  as  it  was  when  we  found  it.''  " 

"  No,"  admitted  Nasmyth ;  "  it's  most  improbable." 

Somewhat  to  his  astonishment,  the  usually  taciturn 
Jake  broke  in. 

"  You're  wasting  time !  Vernon  never  struck  this 
cache  —  he  told  the  folks  at  the  post  so.  Worked 
with  him  once  trail-cutting  —  what  that  man  said 
goes !  " 

"  You  never  told  me  you  knew  Vernon  !  "  exclaimed 
Lisle. 

"  Quite  likely,"  Jake  drawled.  "  It  didn't  seem 
any  use  till  now." 

For  the  first  time  since  they  landed,  Nasmyth 
laughed  —  he  felt  that  something  was  needed  to  re- 
lieve the  tension. 

"  If  people  never  talked  unless  they  had  something 


THE  CACHE  33 

useful  to  say,  there  would  be  a  mar\Tlous  change,"  he 
declared. 

Lisle  disregarded  this,  but  he  was  a  little  less  grave 
when  he  resumed: 

"  There's  another  point  to  bear  in  mind.  Two  of 
Gladwjne's  party  left  him ;  and  of  those  two  which 
would  be  the  more  likely  to  succumb  to  extreme  ex- 
ertion, exposure,  and  insufficient  food?  " 

*'  Against  the  answer  you  expect,  there's  the  fact 
that  Vernon  made  the  longer  journey,"  Nasmyth  ob- 
jected. 

"  It  doesn't  count  for  much.  Was  Clarence  Glad- 
wyne  accustomed  to  roughing  it  and  going  without 
his  dinner?  Would  you  expect  him  to  survive  where 
you  would  perish,  even  if  you  had  a  little  more  to 
bear?  " 

"  No,"  confessed  Nasmyth ;  "  he's  rather  a  self- 
indulgent  person." 

"  Then,  for  example,  could  you  march  through  a 
rough,  snow-covered  country  on  as  little  food  as  I 
could?" 

"  No,  again,"  answered  Nasmyth.  "  You  would 
probably  hold  out  two  or  three  days  longer  than  I 
could." 

"  Vernon  was  a  stronger  and  tougher  man  than  I 
am,"  Lisle  went  on.  *'  Now,  without  finding  definite 
proof,  which  I  hardly  expected,  there  is,  I  think, 
strong  presumptive  evidence  that  Vernon's  story  is 
correct." 

"  Yes,"  agreed  Nasmyth,  and  added  gravely  : 
"  Will  you  ever  find  the  proof?  " 

*'  I  think  there's  a  way  —  it  may  be  difficult ;  but 
I'm  going  right  through  with  this." 


34  THE  LONG  PORTAGE 

"  What's  your  next  move?  " 

"  I've  willingly  laid  my  partner's  story  open  to  the 
only  tests  we  can  impose.  Now  I'm  going  to  do  the 
same  with  Clarence  Gladwyne's." 

Nothing  more  was  said,  and  turning  away  from  the 
cache,  they  went  back  to  the  canoe. 


CHAPTER  IV 

A    PAINFUL    DECISION 

TWO  daj's  passed  uneventfully,  though  Nasmyth 
was  conscious  of  a  growing  uneasiness  during 
them ;  and  then  one  evening  they  landed  to 
search  another  beach.  They  had  less  difficulty  here, 
for  small  cedars  and  birches  crept  down  to  the  water- 
side and  Jake  found  an  ax-blaze  on  one.  After  that, 
it  was  easy  to  locate  the  cache,  and  there  were  signs 
that  it  had  been  either  very  roughly  made,  or  after- 
ward opened  and  reclosed  in  careless  haste.  Lisle 
had  no  hesitation  in  deciding  upon  the  latter,  and 
Jake  was  emphatic  in  his  brief  assurance  on  the  point. 
On  removing  the  covering  stones,  they  found  very 
little  beneath  them,  but  every  object  was  taken  out 
and  Lisle,  measuring  quantities  and  guessing  weights, 
carefully  enumerated  each  in  his  notebook.  Neither 
he  nor  Nasrnyth  said  anything  of  import  then ;  both 
felt  that  the  subject  was  too  grave  to  be  lightly  dis- 
cussed; and  walking  back  silently  along  the  shingle, 
they  pitched  the  tent  and  prepared  supper.  After  the 
meal,  Jake,  prompted  by  an  innate  tact,  sauntered 
away  down  the  beach,  and  the  other  two,  lounging  be- 
side the  fire,  took  out  their  pipes.  A  full  moon  hung 
above  the  lonely  gorge,  which  was  filled  with  the  roar 
of  the  river,  and  the  shadows  of  the  cedars  lay  black 
upon  the  stones. 

35 


36  THE  LONG  PORTAGE 

Some  minutes  passed  before  a  word  was  spoken ; 
and  then  Nasmyth  looked  up. 

"  Well?  "  he  said  briefly. 

Lisle  moved  a  little,  so  that  he  could  see  his  com- 
panion's face. 

"  In  the  first  place,"  he  explained,  "  Clarence  Glad- 
wyne  came  down  this  bank.  One  could  locate  the 
cache  by  the  blazed  tree,  even  with  snow  upon 
the  ground  —  and  it  has  been  opened.  Apart  from  the 
signs  of  this,  no  party  of  three  men  would  have 
thought  it  worth  while  to  make  a  cache  of  the  few 
things  we  found." 

"  ^Mightn't  it  have  been  opened  by  some  Indian?  " 

"  It's  most  unhkely,  because  he  would  have  cleaned 
it  out.  A  white  prospector  would  certainly  have  taken 
the  tobacco." 

Nasmyth  knit  his  brows.  He  was  deeply  troubled, 
because  there  were  respects  in  which  the  matter  would 
hardly  bear  discussion,  though  he  recognized  that  it 
must  now  be  thrashed  out. 

"Well,"  he  admitted  reluctantly,  "  what  we  have 
discovered  has  its  significance;  but  it  isn't  conclu- 
sive." 

His  companion  took  out  from  a  pocket  the  palm 
and  wrist  portion  of  a  fur  glove.  It  Avas  badly  rotted, 
and  the  rest  had  either  fallen  away  or  been  gnawed 
by  some  animal,  but  a  button  with  a  stamp  on  it  re- 
mained. 

"  Jake  found  that  and  gave  it  to  me,"  he  said. 
*'  There's  enough  left  to  show  that  it  had  finger-stalls, 
and  there  are  none  on  the  mittens  we  use  in  cold 
weather.  The  thing's  English,  and  with  a  little  rub- 
bing I  expect  you'll  find  the  maker's  name  on  that  but- 


A  PAINFUL  DECISION  37 

ton.  When  the  party  went  up  it  was  warm  weather, 
but  we  know  there  was  sharp  frost  when  Gladwyne 
came  back.  A  buttoned  glove  doesn't  drop  off  one's 
hand,  and  even  if  it  had  done  so  Gladwyne  would  have 
noticed  and  picked  it  up.  It  seems  to  me  he  took  it 
off  to  open  one  of  the  provision  bags  and  couldn't 
find  it  afterward  because  he'd  trodden  it  into  tlie 
snow." 

Nasmyth  could  doubt  no  longer,  and  his  face  grew 
red. 

"The  hound!"  he  broke  out.  "He  had  a  hand 
frost-bitten  —  one  finger  is  different  from  the  others 

yet." 

Lisle  said  nothing;  he  could  understand  and  sym- 
pathize with  what  was  going  on  in  his  companion's 
mind  and  the  latter  was  filled  with  bitterness  and 
humiliation.  A  man  of  his  own  kind  and  station  in 
life,  one  with  whom  he  fished  and  shot,  had  broken 
faith  with  his  starving  comrade  and  with  incredible 
cowardice  had  left  him  to  perish.  Even  this  was  not 
the  worst ;  though  Nasmytli  had  always  taken  the  per- 
sonal courage  of  his  friends  for  granted.  He  was 
not  a  clever  man  and  he  had  his  faults,  but  he  shaped 
his  life  in  accordance  with  a  few  simple  but  inflexible 
rules.  It  was  difficult  for  him  to  understand  how 
one  could  yield  to  a  fit  of  craven  fear;  but  there  was 
a  fact  which  made  Gladwyne's  transgression  still 
blacker. 

"  This  thing  hits  hard,"  he  said  at  length.  "  The 
man  should  have  gone  back,  if  he  had  known  it  meant 
certain  death." 

Lisle  filled  his  pipe  and  smoked  in  silence  for  several 
minutes   during  which  the  eery  cry   of  a  loon  rang 


38  THE  LONG  PORTAGE 

about  the  camp.     It  roused  Nasm3rth  to  an  outbreak 
of  anger. 

"  I  hate  that  unearthly  noise !  "  he  exclaimed  vehe- 
mently. "  The  thing  seems  to  be  gloating ;  it's  inde- 
cent !  When  I  think  of  that  call  it  will  bring  back 
the  long  portage  and  this  ghostly  river!  I  wish  I'd 
never  made  the  journey,  or  that  I  could  blot  the  whole 
thing  out ! " 

"  It  can't  be  done,"  Lisle  replied.  "  It's  too  late. 
You  have  learned  the  truth  of  what  has  been  done 
here  —  but  the  results  will  work  themselves  out. 
Neither  you  nor  I  can  stop  them ;  they  have  to  be 
faced." 

"The  pity  of  it  is  that  the  innocent  must  suffer; 
they've  borne  enough  already." 

"  There's  a  point  I  don't  quite  understand,"  de- 
clared Lisle.  "  Whatever  the  Hudson  Bay  agent 
thought,  he'd  have  kept  it  to  himself  if  he'd  been  al- 
lowed —  I've  met  him.  It  was  Gladwyne  who  laid  the 
whole  blame  on  Vernon ;  he  forced  the  agent  to  bear 
him  out.  Why  should  he  have  taken  so  much  trouble? 
His  own  tale  would  have  cleared  him." 

Nasmyth  looked  irresolute;  and  then  he  answered 
reluctantly : 

"  There's  a  fact  I  haven't  told  you  yet  —  Clarence 
came  into  the  family  property  on  George's  death; 
a  fine  old  place,  a  fairly  large  estate.  The  sister 
doesn't  count,  though  she  got  her  brother's  personal 
property  —  the  land  goes  down  in  the  male  line." 

Lisle  dropped  his  pipe. 

"  Now  I  understand !  Gladwyne  profits,  my  dead 
partner  bore  the  shame.  But  do  you  believe  the  man 
meant  to  let  his  cousin  die.'*  " 


A  PAINFUL  DECISION  39 

"  No,"  Nasmyth  answered  sharply,  "  that's  un- 
thinkable !  But  I  blame  him  almost  as  much  as  if  he 
had  done  so.  Besides  his  duty  to  George,  he  had  a 
duty  to  himself  and  to  the  family  —  the  honorable 
men  and  women  who  had  kept  the  name  clean  before 
him.  Knowing  he  would  inherit,  on  George's  death, 
there  was  only  one  way  open  —  he  should  have  gone 
back,  at  any  cost.  Instead,  to  clear  himself  of  the 
faintest  trace  of  ugly  suspicion,  he  lays  the  blame 
upon  an  innocent  man." 

Lisle  did  not  reply  to  this.  He  felt  that  had  the 
grim  choice  been  imposed  upon  his  companion,  the 
man  would  have  taken  the  course  he  had  indicated. 

"  You  said  that  George  Gladwyne  was  a  naturalist," 
he  remarked.      "  Was  he  a  methodical  man  ?  " 

"  Eminently  so,"  replied  Nasmyth,  wondering  where 
the  question  led.  He  had  already  been  astonished  at 
Lisle's  close  reasoning  and  the  correctness  of  his  de- 
ductions. 

"Then  he  would  have  made  notes  on  his  journey 
and  no  doubt  have  kept  some  kind  of  diary.  Did  the 
rescue  party  recover  it.''  " 

"  They  did.     It  was  given  to  George's  sister." 

"  Damaged  by  snow  or  water,  badly  tattered.''  " 

"  It  was,"  assented  Nasmyth.  "  I've  had  the  book 
in  my  hands.  I  suppose  it's  natural  that  you  should 
guess  its  condition,  but  I  don't  see  what  it  points  to." 

Lisle  smiled  grimly. 

*'  One  wouldn't  be  astonished  to  find  some  leaves 
missing  from  a  tattered  book." 

"  You're  right  again."  Nasmyth  started.  "  Sev- 
eral had  gone." 

"  I  think  I  can  tell  which  part  of  the  journey  they 


40  THE  LONG  PORTAGE 

related  to.  A  methodical  man  would  malce  a  note  of 
the  stores  cached,  and  the  lists  would  be  conclusive 
evidence  if  anybody''  afterward  opened  the  caches  and 
enumerated  their  contents,  as  we  have  done.  If 
everything  put  into  the  one  on  the  bank  Vernon  fol- 
lowed remained  there,  it  would  prove  that  he  couldn't 
have  found  it.  On  the  other  hand,  if  the  one  on 
Gladwyne's  side  of  the  river  ■ — " 

"  Of  course !  "  Nasmyth  broke  in.  "  You  needn't 
labor  the  point ;  it's  plain  enough."  He  stopped  for 
a  few  moments  before  he  went  on  again.  "  I'm  con- 
vinced; but  without  that  list  of  Gladwyne's  you  still 
haven't  proof  enough  to  place  your  account  of  the 
affair  beyond  dispute.     What  are  you  going  to  do  ?  " 

"  I'm  going  to  England  —  it's  my  father's  country, 
and  I  meant  to  visit  it  some  day.  Whether  I  shall  find 
out  anything  more  there  or  not  I  don't  know." 

"  Then  you  must  stay  with  me.  That's  a  point  I 
insist  upon.  But  I  must  make  my  situation  clear  — 
though  I've  been  drawn  into  this  matter  against  my 
will,  you  have  my  promise,  and  if  ever  the  time  for 
action  comes,  I'll  stand  by  you.  But  I'll  take  no  part 
in  trapping  Clarence  Gladwyne  into  any  admission, 
nor  will  I  countenance  any  charge  against  him  unless 
some  chance  supplies  you  with  indisputable  evidence." 

"  Thanks,"  said  Lisle ;  "  I'm  agreeable.  You  stand 
neutral  until  I  call  on  you." 

"  There  are  two  more  questions,  and  then  we'll  let 
the  subject  drop.  Why  didn't  you  make  this  search 
earlier.''  Why  didn't  Gladwyne  rearrange  the  caches 
afterward?     He  went  back,  you  know." 

"  They're  easily  answered.  It  was  some  time  before 
I  heard  of  Vernon's  death  and  met  the  Hudson  Bay 


A  PAINFUL  DECISION  41 

man  in  Victoria  —  I'd  been  away  in  the  North.  Glad- 
wjne  had  the  rescue  party  with  him  when  he  went  back ; 
he  couldn't  replace  the  provisions  in  the  cache  on  this 
side  without  their  knowing  it,  and  I  don't  suppose  he 
could  have  crossed  the  river  to  the  other  cache.  Now 
we'll  talk  of  somethino;  else." 

They  started  again  the  next  morning,  and  instead 
of  leaving  the  river  for  the  Hudson  Bay  post,  which 
stood  farther  back  into  the  wilderness,  they  held  on 
down-stream,  though  they  afterward  regretted  this 
when  their  provisions  once  more  grew  scanty.  There 
was  now  sharp  frost  at  nights ;  fangs  of  ice  stretched 
out  behind  the  boulders  and  crackling  sheets  of  it 
gathered  in  the  slacker  eddies  along  the  bank.  What 
mattered  more  was  that  the  portages  were  frequent, 
and  carrying  the  canoe  over  rock  coated  with  frozen 
spray  became  dangerous  as  well  as  difficult,  and  Nas- 
myth  working  on  short  rations  began  to  feel  the 
strain.  It  was  only  since  he  had  entered  that  inhos- 
pitable region  that  he  had  ever  been  compelled  to  go 
without  his  dinner;  and  now  breakfast  and  supper 
were  sternly  curtailed.  "WTien  they  were  stopped  for 
two  days  by  a  blinding  snowstonn  he  grew  anxious, 
and  his  uneasiness  had  increased  when  some  time  after- 
ward they  made  their  evening  meal  of  a  single  flap- 
jack each.  He  could  readily  have  eaten  a  dozen  of 
the  thin,  flat  cakes.  The  duck  they  had  shot  every 
now  and  then  since  crossing  the  divide  had  gone ;  they 
had  not  seen  a  trout  since  the  cold  set  in ;  and  there 
did  not  appear  to  be  any  salmon  in  the  river. 

After  breakfast  the  next  morning.  Lisle  concluded 
that  it  would  be  wise  to  risk  a  day  looking  for  a  deer, 
so  he  invited  Nasmyth  to  take  his  rifle  and  the  two 


42  THE  LONG  PORTAGE 

set  out.  It  cost  them  some  trouble  to  climb  the  low 
bluff  above  the  river  through  a  horrible  tangle  of 
fallen  trunks.  The  trees  were  getting  larger  and  the 
branches  of  those  the  wind  had  brought  down  lay 
spread  about  them  or  were  resting  on  the  standing 
growth  in  networks  which  Nasmyth  would  have 
thought  it  impossible  to  traverse  had  he  been  alone. 
Lisle  scrambled  through,  however,  and  he  had  no 
choice  except  to  follow.  Where  the  timber  was  thin- 
ner, the  slope  was  covered  with  sharp-edged  stones 
which  further  damaged  his  already  dilapidated  boots ; 
and  when  at  last  they  came  out  upon  a  comparatively 
bare,  rocky  tableland,  a  bitter  wind  met  them  in  the 
teeth.  It  drove  a  little  fine  snow  before  it,  but  Lisle 
plodded  steadily  on,  explaining  that  any  deer  which 
might  be  in  the  neighborhood  would  have  gone  down 
into  the  sheltered  valleys.  He  had  no  doubt  they 
would  find  one  of  the  valleys,  for  they  were  generally 
numerous. 

It  was  an  hour  before  they  reached  one,  and  Nas- 
myth was  conscious  of  an  unpleasant  pain  in  his  side 
and  a  headache  which  he  supposed  resulted  from  want 
of  food.  For  all  that,  he  scrambled  after  his  com- 
panion down  an  almost  impossible  descent,  where 
trees  of  increasing  size  grew  up  among  outcropping 
rock  and  banks  of  stones.  When  he  reached  the  bot- 
tom he  found  himself  in  a  deep  rift  filled  with  densely- 
matted  underbrush,  through  which  a  swift  stream 
flowed.  Its  banks  promised  a  slightly  easier  road, 
though  now  and  then  they  had  to  wade  through  the 
water,  which  was  icy  cold.  Noon  came  and  they  had 
seen  no  sign  of  life,  except  two  or  three  willow-grouse 
which  they  failed  to  dislodge  from  cover;  but  Lisle 


A  PAINFUL  DECISION  4S 

held  on,  his  course  runnhig  roughly  in  a  line  with  the 
river. 

It  was  toward  three  o'clock,  and  a  little  snow  was 
sifting  down  between  the  somber  branches  overhead, 
when  Lisle,  stopping,  raised  a  warning  hand  and 
pointed  to  an  opening  in  the  trees.  The  light  was 
dim  among  the  rows  of  trunks,  and  for  a  few  seconds 
Nasniyth  gazed  down  the  long  colonnade,  seeing 
nothing.  Then  Lisle  pointed  again,  impatienth',  and 
he  made  out  something  between  a  gray  trunk  and  a 
thicket.  Sportsman  as  he  was,  he  had  not  the  bush- 
man's  eye,  and  he  would  never  have  supposed  that 
formless  object  to  be  a  deer.  It  moved,  however;  a 
prong  of  horn  appeared ;  and  waiting  for  nothing 
further  he  pitched  up  his  rifle. 

It  was  a  long  shot,  standing;  he  guessed  the  range 
In  a  deceptive  light ;  but  he  found  himself  strangely 
steady  as  he  squeezed  the  trigger.  He  was  desper- 
ately hungry  and  weak  from  want  of  food ;  the  deer 
must  not  escape.  Yet  he  was  in  no  rash  haste ;  for 
two  or  three  seconds  the  tiny  foresight  trembled 
slightly  upon  the  mark,  while  the  pressure  on  the 
trigger  increased.  Then  there  was  a  flash ;  he  heard 
no  report  but  the  smoke  blew  into  his  eyes.  Almost 
simultaneously,  a  train  of  red  sparks  leaped  out  from 
somewhere  close  at  his  side  and  there  was  a  sharp 
snapping  in  the  bush  ahead. 

"  You  got  your  shot  in !  "  cried  Lisle.  "  I  think  I 
missed  him  on  the  jump.  Come  on;  we  must  pick  up 
the  trail ! " 

It  was  easy  to  find ;  the  deer  had  been  too  badly 
hit  to  bound  across  each  obstacle  as  cleanly  as  usual, 
and    broken    twigs    and    scattering    withered    leaves 


44  THE  LONG  PORTAGE 

showed  which  way  it  had  gone.  Besides,  there  were 
red  splashes  here  and  there.  It  was,  however,  a  dif- 
ficult matter  to  follow  the  trail.  Fallen  trees  and 
dense  thickets  barred  the  way,  and  they  had  to  cross 
the  creek  every  now  and  then.  Nasmyth  rapidly  got 
breathless  and  before  long  he  was  badly  distressed, 
but  he  held  on  behind  his  companion.  Once  or  twice  he 
was  held  fast  for  a  moment  or  tv.o,  and  breaking  free, 
found  he  had  badly  ripped  his  garments  on  the  ragged 
branches.  Still,  it  was  unthinkable  that  they  should 
let  the  deer  escape. 

As  he  struggled  forward,  he  remembered  that  the 
days  were  rapidly  shortening,  and  he  shrank  from  the 
prospect  of  retracing  his  way  to  camp  in  the  dark. 
It  occurred  to  him  that  it  was  a  compliment  and  a 
mark  of  very  fine  courtesy  that  Lisle  had  left  the 
first  shot  to  him.  In  return  for  this,  he  must  en- 
deavor to  be  present  to  assist  when  he  was  wanted. 

The  deer  was  still  invisible,  but  it  was  not  very  far 
ahead,  for  at  times  the  snapping  of  a  stick  or  a  rustle 
of  disturbed  underbrush  came  sharply  out  of  the 
woods.  The  light  was  getting  dimmer  and  the  snow 
was  falling  more  thickly. 

At  last  the  hunted  creature  left  the  valley  and  after 
a  desperate  scramble  the  men  reached  the  summit  of 
the  ridge  above.  Here  the  tableland  between  them 
and  the  river  was  covered  with  straggling  bush,  and 
though  the  undergrowth  was  thin  they  could  see 
nothing  but  the  long  rows  of  shadowy  trunks.  Lisle, 
however,  picked  up  the  trail,  and  they  followed  it  as 
rapidly  as  possible  until,  when  Nasmyth  was  lagging 
some  distance  behind,  there  was  a  shout  in  front  of 
him  and  his  companion's  rifle  flashed.     Making  a  last 


A  PAINFUL  DECISION  45 

effort,  he  broke  Into  a  run  and  presently  came  to  the 
brink  of  a  steep  descent  covered  with  thick  brush  and 
scattered  trees,  with  a  wide  reach  of  palely  gleaming 
water  at  the  foot  of  it.  It  was  the  kind  of  place 
one  would  have  preferred  to  climb  down  cautiously, 
but  there  was  a  sharp  snapping  and  crackling  below 
and  Nasmyth  knew  that  a  hard-pressed  deer  will 
frequently  take  to  the  water.  If  it  crossed  the 
river,  it  would  escape;  and  that  could  not  be  contem- 
plated. 

Holding  his  rifle  up,  he  plunged  madl}"^  down  the 
descent,  smashing  through  matted  bushes,  stumbling 
over  slippery  stones.  Once  or  twice  he  collided  with 
a  slender  tree  and  struck  his  lea;  afjainst  some  ridse 
of  rock ;  but  he  held  on,  gasping,  and  the  water 
rapidly  grew  nearer.  He  had  almost  reached  it  when 
a  dim  shape  broke  out  from  a  thicket  at  the  bottom 
of  the  slope.  There  were  still  some  cartridges  in  his 
rifle  cylinder,  but  he  was  slipping  and  sliding  down 
an  almost  precipitous  declivity  at  such  a  rate  that  it 
was  impossible  to  stop  and  shoot.  Indeed,  in  another 
moment  he  fell  violently  into  a  brake  and  had  some 
difficulty  in  smashing  through  It,  but  when  he 
struggled  free  he  saw  shingle  and  boulders  in  front  of 
him  and  Lisle  bounding  across  them  a  few  vards  be- 
hind  the  deer.  He  reached  the  stones,  wondering  why 
Lisle  did  not  fire;  and  then  he  saw  man  and  deer 
plunge  into  the  water  together. 

A  few  seconds  later  he  was  waist-deep  In  the  swift 
icy  current,  savagely  endeavoring  to  drag  the  animal 
toward  the  bank,  while  Lisle  stood  near  him,  breathing 
hard,  with  a  red  hunting-knife  in  his  hand. 

"  Steady !  "  gasped  Lisle.      "  You  can't  do  it  that 


46  THE  LONG  PORTAGE 

way!     Help  me  throw  the  beast   on  his   side.     Now 
heave ! " 

They  got  the  deer  out,  and  Nasmyth  sat  down 
hmply.  All  the  power  seemed  to  have  gone  out  of 
him ;  he  did  not  want  to  move,  though  he  was  filled 
with  exultation,  for  they  now  had  food.  It  was  a 
minute  or  two  before  he  noticed  that  Lisle  had  left 
him ;  and  then  he  saw  him  coming  back  with  his  rifle. 

"  I  dropped  the  thing,"  Lisle  explained.  "  Couldn't 
snap  a  fresh  shell  in ;  guess  I  bent  the  slide.  I  took 
the  knife  to  finish  it." 

"  In  another  moment  or  two  you'd  have  been  too 
late." 

Lisle  laughed. 

"  I  don't  know.  It  wouldn't  have  been  decided  until 
we'd  reached  the  other  side." 

"  You  would  have  swum  across  ?  "  Nasmyth  asked 
in  astonishment. 

"  Sure,"  said  Lisle  simply.  "  Anyway,  I'd  have 
tried." 

Nasmyth  glanced  at  the  river.  It  was  broad,  icy 
cold,  and  running  fast,  and  he  could  hardly  imagine 
a  worn-out  and  half-fed  man  safely  swimming  it. 
Lisle,  however,  called  upon  him  to  assist  in  an  un- 
pleasant operation  which,  when  Nasmyth  had  killed  a 
deer  at  home,  had  been  judiciously  left  to  the  keepers 
or  gillies.  After  that,  he  was  directed  to  light  a  fire 
on  a  neighboring  point,  from  which  it  could  be  seen 
some  way  up  the  river,  and  by  and  by  Jake  arrived 
in  the  canoe.  Then  they  made  camp,  and  after  a 
feast  on  flesh  so  tough  that  only  hungry  men  could 
have  eaten  more  than  a  few  morsels  of  it  they  went  to 
sleep. 


CHAPTER  V 

MILLICENT    GLADWYNE 

IN  a  few  more  days  they  left  the  river,  abandoning 
the  canoe  and  tent  and  a  portion  of  their  gear. 
Ascending  to  higher  levels,  they  crossed  a  rugged 
waste,  which,  fortunately  for  them,  was  thinly  tim- 
bered ;  but  there  was  keen  frost,  and  snow  in  places, 
and  Nasmyth  suffered  a  good  deal  during  this  portion 
of  the  journey.  At  last,  however,  they  descended  to 
a  sheltered  valley  in  which  the  firs  grew  tall,  and  Jake 
agreed  with  Lisle  that  it  would  form  the  best  road 
to  the  settlements. 

Nasmyth  was  longing  for  civilization  when  he  lay 
awake  late  one  night,  wrapped  in  a  single  blanket, 
beside  the  sinking  fire.  Dark  columnar  trunks  rose 
about  him,  touched  with  the  uncertain  red  radiance 
now  and  then  cast  upon  them  when  little  puffs  of  bitter 
wind  stirred  the  blaze,  and  he  could  see  the  filmy 
wreaths  of  smoke  eddy  among  the  branches.  He  was 
cold  and  overtired ;  the  day's  march  had  been  a  long 
one;  his  shoulders  ached  cruelly  after  carrying  a 
heavy  load,  and  every  joint  was  sore.  Besides,  his 
bed  was  unpleasantly  hard,  and  he  envied  his  com- 
panions, who  had  long  ago  sunk  into  heavy  slumber. 
For  the  last  hour  he  had  been  thinking  over  the  dis- 
coveries he  had  made  on  the  journey,  which  he  de- 
voutly wished  he  had  never  undertaken ;  the  thought 
of    them    had   troubled    him    on    other   bitter    nights. 

4T 


48  THE  LONG  PORTAGE 

Lisle  was  not  the  man  to  let  the  matter  drop ;  he  was 
much  more  likely  to  follow  it  up  with  dogged  per- 
sistence to  the  end;  and  Nasmyth,  who  was  to  some 
extent  pledged  to  assist  him,  saw  trouble  ahead. 

In  spite  of  this,  he  was  beginning  to  get  drowsy 
when  a  faint  and  yet  strangely  melodious  chiming 
broke  through  the  whispering  of  the  firs.  It  seemed 
to  come  from  above  him,  falling  through  the  air,  and 
he  roused  himself  to  listen,  wondering  if  he  were  quite 
awake.  The  musical  clash  he  had  first  heard  had 
ceased,  but  for  a  while  he  thought  he  could  distin- 
guish the  tolling  of  a  single  bell;  then  in  varying 
notes  the  peal  broke  out  again. 

There  was  something  ethereal  in  the  clear  tones. 
The  last  time  he  had  heard  anything  like  them  he  was 
sitting  one  Sunday  morning  on  a  shady  lawn  while 
the  call  of  the  bells  came  softly  up  to  him  across  the 
English  woods.  He  glanced  at  his  comrades,  but 
they  showed  no  sign  of  hearing,  and  raising  himself 
on  one  elbow  he  lay  and  listened,  until  the  music, 
growing  fainter  and  fainter,  died  away.  Then,  puz- 
zled and  half  convinced  that  his  imagination  had 
played  him  some  fantastic  trick,  he  went  to  sleep. 

He  mentioned  the  occurrence  diffidently  at  break- 
fast the  next  morning,  expecting  incredulous  laugh- 
ter; but  Lisle,  without  making  a  comment,  glanced  at 
Jake  questioningly. 

"  No,"  responded  Jake.  "  Nothing  to  bring  them 
up  so  far." 

"You  couldn't  have  been  mistaken?"  Lisle  asked 
Nasmyth. 

"  I  thought  I  must  be ;  but  the  more  I  listened,  the 
clearer  it  got." 


MILLICENT  GLADWYNE  49 

"  Go  and  see,"  Lisle  said,  addressing  Jake,  and  when 
they  had  finished  breakfast  the  packer  strode  away. 

"We'll  wait  a  bit,"  advised  Lisle.  "I'm  a  little 
worried  about  provisions  again.  It's  still  a  long 
march  to  the  nearest  wagon  trail." 

Nasmyth  failed  to  understand  how  the  delay  would 
improve  their  position,  but  believing  that  his  com- 
panion was  somewhat  dubious  about  his  tale  he  re- 
strained his  curiosity.  In  half  an  hour  Jake  came 
back  and  nodded  to  Lisle. 

"  Quite  a  bunch  of  them,"  he  reported.  "  I  struck 
the  fellow's  trail." 

"  What  was  it  I  heard  ?  "  Nasmyth  asked. 

"  Cow-bells,"  Lisle  explained,  laughing.  "  In  this 
country,  they  generally  put  them  on  any  cattle  tliat 
run  loose  in  the  timber.  Some  adventurous  rancher 
has  located  up  here,  though  I  hadn't  expected  to  find 
one  so  far  north.  Anyway,  it's  a  relief;  he'll  no 
doubt  be  able  to  let  us  have  something:  to  eat." 

They  reached  the  man's  log  house  an  hour  later, 
and  spent  the  day  wi^-h  liim,  enjoying  a  much  needed 
rest.  The  next  morning  he  supplied  them  with  pro- 
visions and  told  them  how  to  find  a  trail  down  to  a 
wagon  road;  and,  setting  out,  they  safely  reached 
a  settlement  in  regular  communication  with  the  cities. 

It  was  the  settlement  Lisle  had  expected  to  come 
to,  and  he  found  a  bundle  of  correspondence  awaiting 
him  there.  Before  he  opened  it,  however,  he  and 
Nasmyth  supplied  themselves  with  such  clothing  as 
they  could  obtain  at  the  local  store,  and  then  demanded 
a  bath  at  the  little  wooden  hotel.  They  had  some 
trouble  in  obtaining  it,  but  Nasmyth  was  firm,  and 
eventually  he  sat  down  to  supper,  clad  in  a  blue  shirt 


50  THE  LONG  PORTAGE 

with  scarlet  trimmings,  extremely  tight-fitting  clothes 
and  daintily-pointed  shoes. 

"  I  think  I'd  have  done  better  if  I'd  stuck  to  my 
rags,  or  else  bought  a  pair  of  what  that  fellow  called 
river-Jacks'  boots,"  he  commented  ruefully. 

Lisle  was  similarly  attired,  but  he  was  too  busy  with 
his  meal  to  sympathize  with  him,  and  some  time  after 
it  was  over  Nasmyth,  strolling  into  the  private  room 
which  they  had  obtained  as  a  signal  concession,  found 
him  writing  at  a  littered  table.  Sitting  down,  he 
watched  him  for  a  while  with  some  slight  wonder. 
For  a  number  of  weeks,  he  had  seen  his  companion 
handling  heavy  loads,  cooking,  and  hauling  canoes 
round  rapids  with  the  skill  of  a  professional  packer. 
It  was  hard  to  disassociate  him  from  the  ranges  and 
the  bush ;  but  now,  Avith  the  pile  of  letters  before  him, 
he  had  suddenly  become  a  business  man.  Nasmyth 
saw  him  answer  a  couple  in  a  swift,  decided  manner 
which  showed  that  he  was  at  home  in  his  present  oc- 
cupation. It  was  one  of  the  quick  character-changes 
which,  while  common  in  the  West,  are  apt  to  bewilder 
the  more  stereotyped  Englishman. 

"  Are  you  coming  to  England  with  me?  "  Nasmyth 
asked  at  length. 

"  No ;  I'm  sorry  I  can't,"  answered  Lisle,  pausing, 
pen  in  hand.  "  This  Gladwyne  matter  will  probably 
take  time  and  I  have  none  to  spare  now.  There  have 
been  some  unexpected  developments  in  my  affairs.  I 
don't  know  when  I  can  get  away." 

Nasmyth  was  conscious  of  some  relief.  His  com- 
panion would  have  to  defer  the  prosecution  of  plans 
that  threatened  to   cause  trouble  in  England,  which 


MILLICENT  GLADWYNE  61 

was  something  to  be  thankful  for,  though  he  had  a 
strong  sympathy  for  the  man, 

"  Has  it  ever  struck  you  that  you  might  have  less 
difficulty  if  you  could  be  content  with  proving  half  of 
what  you  claim?  "  he  asked.  "  It's  the  more  important 
part  —  I  mean  that  your  late  comrade  failed  to  find 
the  cache." 

"  Half  a  truth  is  not  much  use  —  Gladwyne  realized 
that.  To  declare  you  haven't  done  the  wrong  is  a 
good  deal  less  effective  than  pointing  to  the  guilty 
man." 

I  suppose  that's  correct,"  Nasmyth  agreed. 
But,  after  all,  unless  you  can  get  hold  of  a  list  of 
the  provisions  cached  —  and  it  has  most  likely  been 
destroyed  —  there's  only  one  way  of  substantiating 
your  views." 

"  Exactly.  Gladwyne's  confession  will  place  the 
matter  beyond  all  doubt." 

"  Do  you  think  you  will  ever  get  it.''  " 

Lisle's  expression  hardened. 

"  Well,"  he  said,  "  I'm  going  to  try." 

Nasmyth  abandoned  all  attempt  to  daunt  or  dis- 
suade him. 

"  Anyway,"  he  resumed,  "  when  you  come  over  you 
must  stay  with  me.  I'm  sorry  we'll  have  to  part  com- 
pany to-morrow.     I  start  east  by  the  first  train." 

He  strolled  out  into  the  moonlight  and  the  keen 
frost}'  air.  The  little  wooden  town  was  soon  left 
behind,  and  sauntering  down  the  rough  wagon  road 
beneath  towering  firs,  he  saw  the  great  hill  summits 
glitter  white  against  the  sky.  It  was  a  wonderful 
country ;  the  grandest  he  had  ever  traversed ;  but  it 


62  THE  LONG  PORTAGE 

demanded  a  good  deal  from  the  man  who  ventured 
into  its  wilds,  and  he  was  not  sorry  that  he  was  turn- 
ing his  back  on  it. 

Then,  as  he  thought  of  the  land  he  was  bound  for 
and  recalled  the  tragic  story  of  Gladwyne's  journey, 
he  once  more  grew  troubled.  He  realized  the  immuta- 
ble sequence  of  cause  and  effect  —  each  action  had 
its  result  which  must  be  faced  however  much  one  re- 
pented and  regretted  it.  The  deed,  once  done,  could 
not  be  altered  and,  what  was  worse,  its  consequences 
reached  out  to  others.  Then  he  wondered  whether 
Clarence  had  ever  repented,  and  admitted,  with  a  re- 
currence of  his  indignation  against  the  man,  that  it 
was  far  from  probable.  Clarence  was  one  who  took 
life  lightly,  and  although  his  means  had  been  small 
until  he  came  into  his  cousin's  possessions,  he  had  some- 
how succeeded  in  getting  what  is  often  considered  the 
best  out  of  it.  Self-denial  in  any  shape  was  unknown 
to  him. 

The  next  morning  Nasmyth  took  the  train  for  Mon- 
treal, and  about  a  fortnight  later  alighted  at  a  little 
station  in  the  north  of  England  as  the  early  dusk 
was  closing  in.  It  was  a  quiet  evening  and  the  soft 
moistness  of  his  native  air  struck  him  as  something 
pleasantly  familiar  after  the  keener,  drier  atmosphere 
of  the  Dominion.  He  was  glad  to  be  back  again,  but 
when  he  looked  around,  the  trap  waiting  in  the  wet 
road  outside  the  railings  was  not  his  own.  Neither 
did  it  belong  to  Clarence,  whom  he  had  partly  ex- 
pected; but  on  the  whole  Nasmyth  was  glad  of  that. 
He  had  not  looked  forward  to  the  first  meeting  with 
Clarence  with  any  pleasure. 

In  another  moment,  a  girl  came  along  the  platform 


MILLICENT  GLADWYNE  6S 

through  the  groups  of  local  passengers,  who  respect- 
fully made  way  for  her.  She  was  tall,  and  her  long 
outer  garment  failed  to  conceal  her  grace  of  move- 
ment and  fine  poise,  though  in  the  fading  light  her 
face  was  almost  invisihle  beneath  a  large  hat.  The 
sight  of  her  sent  a  thrill  of  satisfaction  through  the 
man ;  it  was  seldom  that  Millicent  Gladwyne's  appear- 
ance was  unwelcome  to  her  friends.  She  approached 
him  with  outstretched  hand. 

"  I  drove  over  for  you.  Clarence  couldn't  come ; 
he  was  suddenly  called  up  to  town,"  she  began.  "  It 
would  have  been  rather  lonely  for  you  to  spend  the 
first  evening  by  yourself  at  the  Lodge.  You  will 
come  to  us.'*" 

"  Thoughtful  as  ever,"  smiled  Nasmyth,  with  a  lit- 
tle bow  which  was  respectful  as  well  as  friendly.  "  I 
needn't  ask  how  you  are ;  the  way  you  walked  along  the 
platform  was  a  testimony  to  our  Border  air." 

She  laughed,  softly  and  musically. 

"  It  is  more  needful  to  inquire  how  you  have  stood 
your  adventures?  " 

"I  believe  I'm  thinner;  but  that  isn't  astonishing, 
everything  considered.  I  suppose  Clarence  is  getting 
on  prett}^  satisfactorily  ?  " 

"Clarence.?  Oh,  yes!"  There  was  a  hint  of  un- 
certainty in  her  voice  which  Nasmyth  noticed.  "  He 
has  been  in  town  a  good  deal  of  late.  But  come 
along ;  the  horse  —  he's  a  new  one  —  is  rather  restive. 
They'll  send  on  your  things." 

"  The  remnant  of  my  outfit's  contained  In  one  small 
bag,"  laughed  Nasmyth ;  "  the  rest's  scattered  about 
the  hillsides  of  British  Columbia.  I  was  a  picturesque 
scarecrow  when  I  reached  the  settlements." 


54  THE  LONG  PORTAGE 

They  moved  away  along  the  platform,  and  on 
reaching  the  trap  he  got  up  beside  her  and  handed  her 
the  reins. 

"  I  want  to  look  about,  if  you  don't  mind,"  he  ex- 
plained. 

"  I  really  think  the  prospect's  worth  it,"  she  replied. 
"  Besides,  Riever's  fresh  and  needs  humoring." 

She  shook  the  whip,  and  as  they  clattered  away  down 
the  steep,  twisting  road,  Nasmyth  glanced  with  satis- 
faction to  left  and  right.  He  had  seen  wilder  and 
grander  lands,  but  none  of  them  appealed  to  him  like 
this  high,  English  waste.  On  one  hand  dim  black 
hills  rose  out  of  fleecy  mist;  on  the  other  a  leafless 
birch  wood,  close  by,  stood  out  in  curiously  fragile  and 
delicate  tracery  against  a  paling  saff'ron  glow,  though 
overhead  the  sky  was  barred  with  motionless  gray 
cloud.  A  sharp  smell  of  peat-smoke  followed  them  as 
they  clattered  past  a  low  white  cottage  with  a  yellow 
glow  in  one  window ;  and  then  the  earthy  scent  of  rot- 
ting leaves  replaced  it  as  they  plunged  into  the  gloom 
of  an  oak  wood  beneath  the  birches.  A  stream  splash- 
ing down  a  hollow  made  faint  music  in  the  midst  of  it. 
When  they  had  emerged  from  the  shadow  and  climbed 
a  steep  rise,  wide  moors  stretched  away  in  front,  rising 
and  falling  in  long  undulations,  streaked  with  belts  of 
mist.  The  crying  of  restless  plovers  came  out  of  the 
gathering  dimness. 

"  All  this  is  remarkably  nice ;  though  I  don't  think 
I  should  have  appreciated  it  quite  so  much  if  I'd  been 
alone,"  Nasmyth  said  at  length. 

Millicent  laughed  lightly.  She  had  known  him  since 
her  childhood  and  was  quite  aware  that  he  had  not  in- 
tended to  pay  her  a  labored  compliment ;  they  were  too 


MILLICENT  GLADWYNE  55 

good  friends  for  that.  Once,  indeed,  he  had  desired 
a  closer  bond,  but  he  had  quietly  acquiesced  when  with 
gentle  firmness  she  had  made  it  clear  that  she  was  not 
for  him.  Submission  had  not  been  easy,  but  he  had 
long  admitted  her  right  to  more  than  he  could  offer. 
In  this,  however,  he  was  to  some  extent  mistaken,  be- 
cause the  gifts  he  could  bring  —  a  staunch  honesty, 
faithfulness,  and  a  genial  nature  —  are  not  to  be  de- 
spised. 

"  Well,"  she  replied,  "  I  love  these  moors  and  dales, 
SLS  of  course  you  know,  and  I've  become  more  of  a  stay- 
at-home  than  ever  during  the  past  year."  There  was 
a  shght  regretfulness  in  her  voice  which  had  its  mean- 
ing for  him.  "  I'm  never  satisfied  with  the  draw- 
ings," she  went  on,  "though  I've  made  so  many  of 
them." 

Nasmyth  made  a  sign  of  comprehension.  She  had 
undertaken  to  finish  and  illustrate  her  brother's 
roughed-out  Avork,  a  book  on  the  fauna  of  the  Bor- 
der, and  she  had  brought  to  it  a  fine  artistic  skill  and 
patience,  as  well  as  a  love  of  the  wild  creatures  of  the 
waste.  It  was,  perhaps,  a  curious  occupation  for  a 
young  woman,  but  she  had  devoted  herself  to  it  with 
characteristic  thoroughness. 

"  He  wanted  it  to  be  as  complete  and  accurate  as 
possible,"  she  added  simply. 

Her  companion  felt  compassionate.  In  some  re- 
spects, it  was  almost  a  pity  that  jNIillicent  could  not 
forget. 

"  You  got  my  letter  —  the  one  in  which  I  said 
I  meant  to  pick  up  and  follow  out  his  trail.?  "  he 
asked. 

Yes.     I  knew  it  would  be  difficult.     Indeed,  I  was 


« 


56  THE  LONG  PORTAGE 


anxious  about  you ;  the  wilderness  has  claimed  so  much 
from  me.     But  did  you  — " 

"  I  succeeded,"  Nasmyth  answered  quietly. 

The  nod  she  gave  him  was  expressive.  It  meant 
that  she  had  expected  him  to  succeed;  he  was  a  man 
who  did  what  he  said. 

"  I  think  George  should  never  have  made  that  jour- 
ney," she  resumed.  "  Fond  of  the  open  as  he  was, 
he  hadn't  the  physical  stamina.  He  never  spared  him- 
self;  he  was  apt  to  overestimate  his  powers." 

It  was  spoken  with  a  grave  regretfulness  that  trou- 
bled Nasmyth  and  yet  stirred  him  to  strong  apprecia- 
tion of  her  character.  With  all  her  love  for  her 
brother,  she  could  face  the  truth. 

"  I've  learned  that  he  bore  everything  with  the  forti- 
tude one  would  expect  from  him  —  doing  his  share 
always  with  the  rest,"  Nasmyth  said.  "  We  got 
through  a  little  earlier,  and  had  better  weather;  but  I 
saw  enough  to  convince  me  that  the  difficulties  George 
had  to  contend  with  would  have  killed  any  ordinary 


man." 


5) 


"  They  did  not  kill  Clarence. 

Nasmyth  once  more  burned  with  anger  against  the 
transgressor. 

"  No,"  he  replied  in  a  strained  tone ;  "  Clarence  es- 
caped." 

She  flashed  a  sharp  glance  at  him,  and  he  felt  glad 
that  it  was  too  dark  for  her  to  see  his  face. 

"  You  must  tell  me  the  whole  story  to-night,"  she 
requested. 

Her  companion  made  no  answer.  With  the  reserve 
that  must  be  maintained  on  several  points,  the  story 
would  be  difficult  to  relate ;  and  it  could  not  fail  to  be 


MILLICENT  GLADWYNE  57 

painful  to  lier.  The  horror  she  would  feel  if  she  ever 
learned  that  her  brother  might  have  been  saved  had  his 
cousin  shown  more  resolution  was  a  thing  he  dare  not 
contemplate,  and  he  wondered  if  the  shock  the  knowl- 
edge must  bring  could  be  spared  her.  This  depended 
upon  Lisle,  whom  he  had  promised  to  assist.  Nas- 
myth  could  foresee  nothing  but  trouble,  and  he  was 
silent  for  a  while  as  they  drove  on  across  the  lonely 
moor. 


CHAPTER  VI 

NASMYTH  TELLS   HIS  STORY 

DINNER  was  over,  and  Millicent's  elderly  com* 
panion  had  discreetly  left  them  alone,  when  the 
girl  led  Nasmyth  into  her  drawing-room.  It 
W61S  brightly  lighted  and  was  tastefully  decorated  in 
delicate  colors,  and  a  wood  fire  was  burning  on  the 
hearth;  but,  for  the  first  time  that  he  could  remember, 
Nasmyth  felt  ill  at  ease  in  it.  He  was  fresh  from  the 
snow-covered  rocks  and  shadowy  woods  and  the  refine- 
ment and  artistic  luxury  of  his  surroundings  rather 
jarred  on  him.  The  story  he  had  to  relate  dealt  with 
elemental  things  —  hunger,  toil,  and  death  —  it  would 
sound  harsher  and  more  ugly  amid  the  evidences  of 
civilization. 

"  You  have  a  good  deal  to  tell  me,"  Millicent  sug- 
gested at  length. 

He  stood  still  a  moment,  looking  at  her.  She  had 
already  seated  herself,  and  the  sweeping  lines  of  her 
pose  suggested  vigor  and  energy  held  in  quiet  con- 
trol. Her  face  was  waran  in  coloring,  bearing  signs 
of  exposure  to  wind  and  sun,  but  it  was  chastely  molded 
in  a  fine  oval  with  the  features  firmly  lined.  Her  hair 
was  dark,  though  there  were  bronzy  gleams  in  it,  and 
her  eyes,  which  were  deeply  brown,  had  a  sparkle  in 
them.  As  a  whole,  her  appearance  indicated  a  san- 
guine, optimistic  temperament,  but  there  was  also  an 

58 


NASMYTH  TELLS  HIS  STORY  59 

indefinite  something  wliich  spoke  of  due  balance  and 
repose.  Nasmyth  was  more  convinced  than  ever  that 
he  had  not  met  any  other  woman  fit  to  compare  with 
her.  Her  age,  as  he  knew,  having  given  her  many 
birthday  presents,  was  twenty-four. 

"  Yes,"  he  said,  in  answer  to  her  remark,  "  but  it's 
curious  that  I  can't  fix  my  mind  upon  the  subject  here. 
The  niglit's  mild;  shall  we  go  out  on  to  the  veranda?  " 

"  Wait  until  I  get  a  wrap.     I  understand." 

"  You  always  do  that,"  Nasmj'th  declared. 

She  joined  him  outside  in  another  minute  and  seated 
herself  in  the  chair  he  drew  out.  The  house  was  small 
and  irregularly  built,  and  a  glass  roof  supported  on 
light  pillars  stretched  along  part  of  the  front.  A 
half-moon  hung  above  a  ridge  of  dark  fir  wood,  a  tarn 
gleamed  below,  and  here  and  there  down  a  shadowy  hol- 
low there  was  a  sparkle  of  running  water.  On  the 
other  side  of  the  dale  the  moors  stretched  away,  waste 
and  empty,  toward  the  half-seen  hills.  The  loneli- 
ness of  the  prospect  reminded  Nasmjth  of  Canada, 
and  the  resemblance  grew  more  marked  when  the  cry- 
ing of  plover  rose  from  the  dim  heath  —  it  brought 
back  the  call  of  the  loon.  Still,  he  did  not  wonder 
why  Millicent,  an  orphan  with  ample  means,  lived  alone 
except  for  her  elderly  companion  on  the  desolate  Bor- 
der. 

"  You  don't  mind,  I  know,"  he  said  as  he  lighted  a 
cigar. 

"  I  can  make  that  concession  willingl}',"  she  an- 
swered with  a  smile.  "  I  suppose  I'm  old-fashioned, 
because  I  go  no  farther." 

"  Keep  so,"  advised  Nasmyth.  "  Of  course,  that's 
unnecessary ;  but  I  never  could  make  out  why  women 


60  THE  LONG  PORTAGE 

should  want  to   smoke.     From  my  point  of  view,   it 
isn't  becoming." 

He  was  putting  off  a  task  from  which  he  shrank,  and 
she  indulged  him. 

"  One  retains  one's  prejudices  in  a  place  like  this," 
she  said.  "  I  felt  sadly  left  behind  when  I  was  last  in 
London ;  and  the  few  visits  I  made  in  the  home  coun- 
ties a  little  while  ago  astonished  me.  Nobody  seemed 
to  stay  at  home ;  the  motors  were  continually  whirling 
them  up  to  town  and  back ;  the  guests  kept  combing 
and  going.  There  was  so  much  restlessness  and  bustle 
that  I  was  glad  to  be  home  again." 

"  It  has  struck  me,"  returned  Nasmyth  with  an  air 
of  sage  reflection,  "  that  we  who  live  quietly  in  the 
country  are  the  pick  of  the  lot.  Sounds  egotistical, 
doesn't  it.''  But  if  we  don't  do  much  good  —  and  I'm 
afraid  I  don't,  anyway  —  neither  do  we  do  any  harm." 

"  I'm  not  sure  that  that's  a  great  deal  to  be  proud 
of." 

"  I  didn't  include  you,"  Nasmyth  assured  her. 
*'  There  have  been  wholesome  changes  in  the  village 
since  you  grew  up  and  made  your  influence  felt.  And 
that  leads  to  a  question:  How  does  Clarence  get  on 
with  his  tenants  and  the  rank  and  file?  George  under- 
stood them,  but  they're  difficult  folks  to  handle." 

"  He's  away  a  good  deal  —  I'm  afraid  there  has 
been  some  friction  now  and  then."  The  girl's  man- 
ner suddenly  changed.  "  But  that's  beside  the  point. 
Aren't  you  wasting  time?  " 

"  I  am  almost  afraid  to  begin.  You  will  find  the 
story  trying." 

She  turned  toward  him,  and  the  moonlight  showed 
her  face  was  reassuringly  quiet. 


NASMYTH  TELLS  HIS  STORY  61 

*'  I  expect  that;  but  your  fears  are  groundless.  You 
needn't  hesitate  on  my  account." 

Nasniyth  knew  that  she  was  right ;  Milhcent  was  not 
one  to  flinch  from  pain.  With  an  effort,  he  began  his 
story  at  the  portage  over  the  divide,  and,  possessed  by 
vivid  memories,  lie  made  her  see  the  desolate  region 
they  had  laboriously  traversed.  Because  her  imagina- 
tion was  powerful,  she  could  picture  the  brother  she 
had  loved  toiling  with  desperate  purpose  and  failing 
strength  through  muskeg  and  morass.  Then,  wlien 
she  quietly  insisted,  he  described  Gladw3'ne's  last  camp. 
Siie  saw  that,  too:  the  hollow  beneath  the  dark  rock, 
with  the  straggling  cedars  on  the  ridge  above.  Next 
he  outlined  the  journey  down  the  first  few  rapids,  say- 
ing little  about  the  caches,  and  at  last,  with  consid- 
erable relief,  he  came  to  a  stop.  JMillicent  sat  silent 
for  several  minutes,  during  which  he  did  not  look  at 
her. 

"  Thank  you,"  she  said  at  length.  "  I  have  tried 
often  to  imagine  it,  and  failed ;  but  it  is  quite  clear 
now.  Clarence  would  never  give  me  more  than  the 
barest  details  —  I  think  he  hated  to  speak  of  it." 

"  In  a  way,  he  was  wise,"  replied  Nasmyth.  He 
understood  the  man's  reluctance.  "  Now  don't  you 
think  it  would  be  better  if  you  tried  to  drive  the  thing 
out  of  your  mind?  It  can't  be  altered  —  there's  a 
danger  in  dwelling  too  much  upon  one's  grief." 

She  looked  up  at  him,  tliough  her  eyes  were  dim  with 
tears. 

"  It  can't  be  driven  out.  There  were  only  the  two 
of  us ;  we  had  so  much  in  common  —  there  was  such 
trust  between  us." 

Nasmyth  nodded  in  comprehension  and  sympathy. 


62  THE  LONG  PORTAGE 


« 


Now  that  I've  told  3'ou,"  he  said  quietly,  as  he 
rose,   "  I   think  I'll  go.     I  am   sure   you'd  rather  be 


?j 


alone. 

"  No,"  she  answered,  motioning  to  him  to  sit  down. 
"  Please  stay."  She  seemed  to  rouse  herself  with  an 
effort.  "  Of  course,  there  was  only  one  thing  George 
could  do  when  he  was  lamed  —  send  them  on.  But 
Clarence,  who  was  with  him,  never  made  his  fortitude 
and  cheerfulness  so  clear  as  you  have  done.  You  even 
mentioned  the  exact  words  he  said  now  and  then  — 
how  did  you  hear  of  them?  " 

"  From  my  companion,  a  young  Canadian.  He  had 
the  whole  thing  by  heart ;  got  it  from  the  Hudson  Bay 
agent.     George's  guide  told  the  agent." 

"  Did  your  companion  also  teach  j'ou  how  to  tell  the 
story  ?  " 

Nasmyth  smiled.  He  saw  that  she  was  desirous  of 
changing  the  subject  and  he  was  glad  of  it. 

"  Anywaj^  he  made  me  see  it  at  the  time ;  pointed 
out  the  full  significance  of  things  —  a  broken  branch, 
a  scratch  on  a  rock.  A  rather  striking  man  in  several 
ways.  But  you  shall  see  him ;  he's  coming  over  to 
stay  with  me  by  and  by."  He  paused  a  moment.  "  I 
understand  that  Clarence  has  been  having  some  trou- 
ble." 

"  It  hardly  amounts  to  that.  But  things  are  not  the 
same  as  they  were  " —  in  spite  of  her  courage  she 
faltered  — "  when  George  held  control.  The  tenants 
don't  take  to  Clarence ;  I  think  he  was  not  well  advised 
in  increasing  rents  here  and  there.  Indeed,  that  Avas  a 
little  puzzling,  because  he  was  once  so  liberal." 

"  In  small  matters ;  it's  his  own  money  now." 
Nasmyth  could  not  repress  this  show  of  bitterness. 


NASMYTH  TELLS  HIS  STORY  (V3 


a 


Whose  money  was  it  in  his  extravagant  days?  " 

*'  That's  a  question  I've  thought  over  and  failed  to 
find  an  answer  to.  I've  no  doubt  most  of  what  he 
gets  is  now  being  spent  in  town,  tliough  in  my  opinion 
as  much  as  possible  ought  to  go  back  to  the  locality 
in  which  it  was  produced.  Why  don't  you  impress 
that  on  him?  " 

Millicent,  as  he  knew,  could  judiciously  offer  sound 
advice  where  it  was  needed.  She  was  young,  but,  hav- 
ing been  left  an  orphan  early,  she  had  long  enjoyed 
her  brother's  close  companionship  and  confidence,  and 
the  man's  wide  knowledge  and  thoughtfulness  had  had 
its  effect  in  molding  her  character.  Still,  in  this  case, 
she  did  not  respond. 

"  It  would  be  better  for  his  tenants  and  the  neigh- 
borhood generally  if  Clarence  married ;  he  can  afford 
it  now,"  Nasmyth  went  on. 

Again  the  girl  was  silent,  and  he  wondered  whether 
he  had  thoughtlessly  made  a  serious  blunder.  It  had 
been  supposed  among  their  friends  that  she  would 
marry  Clarence  some  day,  though,  so  far  as  it  was 
known,  there  was  no  definite  understanding  between 
them,  and  for  a  while  the  man's  attitude  had  strength- 
ened the  idea.  Indeed,  when  he  had  succeeded  to 
George's  possessions,  every  one  had  expected  an  an- 
nouncement, which  had  not  been  made.  What  Millicent 
thought,  or  what  she  had  looked  for  all  along,  did  not 
appear. 

*'  I  think  you  are  right  in  one  thing,"  she  said,  very 
calmly,  at  length.  "  If  he  would  stay  here,  as  George 
did  and  his  neighbors  do,  it  would  be  better  for  every- 
body, including  himself." 

Nasmyth  made   a   sign   of  agreement.     Their  inti- 


64  THE  LONG  PORTAGE 

mate  friends  remained  for  the  greater  portion  of  the 
year  on  their  estates,  understanding  the  needs  of  their 
tenants  and  dependents  and  enjoying  their  good  opin- 
ion, which  was  naturally  increased  by  the  fact  that 
their  expenses  were  chiefly  incurred  in  the  neighbor- 
hood. There  were  others  who,  as  the  small  farmer 
recognized,  returned  as  little  as  possible  to  the  soil, 
squandering  revenues  raised  by  the  stubborn  labor  of 
others  in  doubtful  pleasures  elsewhere  and,  when  they 
brought  their  friends  home,  on  luxuries  despatched 
from  town.     These  things  made  for  bitterness. 

An  unfortunate  persistence  in  his  hobby  drove  Nas- 
myth  into  a  second  blunder. 

"  We're  in  accord  on  that  point,"  he  assured  her. 
"  It's  a  pity  the  land  passed  out  of  your  hands.  How- 
ever, as  there's  no  male  succession,  it  might,  after  all, 
come  back  to  30U." 

She  bore  it  very  calmly. 

*'  You  wouldn't  have  me  speculate  on  such  a  thing?  " 

Then  as  if  to  find  a  safer  topic  she  went  on  with  a 
thrill  of  anger  in  her  tone : 

"  I'll  tell  you  of  an  incident  I  witnessed  two  or  three 
days  ago,  which  anno3^ed  me  seriously.  I'd  just  met 
old  Bell  —  you  know  how  lame  he  is  —  driving  some 
sheep  along  the  road.  It  has  been  a  wet,  cold  year; 
Bell  lost  his  hay,  the  oats  are  dreadfully  poor,  and  his 
buildings  are  in  very  bad  repair." 

"  They  were  a  disgrace  to  any  estate  when  I  last 
saw  them,"  Nasmyth  broke  in.  "  Besides,  the  sour 
land  near  the  river  should  have  been  tile-drained  long 
ago." 

"  So  Bell  has  urged ;  but  he  can't  get  Marple  to 
spend  a  penny  —  I'm  glad  that  man's  new  to  this  part 


NASMYTH  TELLS  HIS  STORY  65 

of  the  country  and  doesn't  belong  to  us.  Well,  just 
after  I  met  Bell,  Marple's  big  motor  came  along.  He 
had  Batley  with  him  and  the  Crcstwicks,  who  were 
down  before.     I  think  you  met  them?" 

"  I  did,"  assented  Nasmyth.  "  In  Canada  they'd 
call  them  a  mighty  tough  crowd;  they're  about  the 
limit  here." 

"  I  turned  round  after  the  car  had  passed,"  Mil- 
licent  went  on.  "  Marple  was  driving,  as  fast  as 
usual,  and  he  made  no  attempt  to  pull  up.  Bell,  who 
didn't  hear,  tried  to  jump  and  fell  into  the  ditch;  most 
of  the  sheep  \vere  scattered  across  the  moor,  but  two 
or  three  got  right  in  front  of  the  car  and  at  the  last 
moment  INIarple  had  to  stop.  One  of  the  women 
laughed,  she  had  a  A'ery  shrill  voice  and  she  explained 
that  the  old  man  looked  so  funny  in  the  ditch ;  Marple 
shouted  to  Bell  —  something  about  the  damage  to  his 
tires  —  and  I  could  see  the  others  smiling  at  what  he 
said.  That  was  worse  than  the  words  he  used.  Then 
they  went  on,  leaving  the  old  man  to  gather  up  his 
sheep ;  he  hadn't  a  dog  with  him.  That  kind  of  thing 
leaves  its  mark  !  " 

"  Distinctly  so,"  Nasmyth  agreed.  "  Still,  ]Marple 
and  his  lot  are  exceptions.  Wasn't  Clarence  rather 
thick  with  them?" 

"  Yes,"  she  answered.  "  Fve  been  rather  disturbed 
about  him." 

Nasmyth  did  not  know  what  this  meant.  He 
thought  she  would  hardly  have  made  such  an  admis- 
sion had  she  contemplated  marrying  the  man ;  and,  if 
not,  it  was  somewhat  difficult  to  see  why  he  should 
cause  her  serious  concern.  He  knew,  however,  that 
Millicent  could  not  look  on  unmoved  when  her  friends 


66  THE  LONG  PORTAGE 

left  the  right  path ;  lie  could  think  of  two  or  three 
whom  she  had  helped  and  gently  checked  from  further 
straying.  This  reflection  was  a  relief  to  him,  because 
he  was  determined  that  she  should  not  marry  Clarence 
if  he  could  prevent  it.  If  necessary,  he  would  tell  her 
the  part  the  man  had  played  in  Canada,  though  he 
shrank  from  doing  so. 

"  Marple  and  his  acquaintances  are  not  the  people 
one  would  have  expected  Clarence  to  associate  with," 
he  continued.  "  Still,  in  my  opinion,  he's  doing  worse 
in  making  a  friend  of  that  fellow  Batley.  I  could 
never  understand  the  connection  —  the  man  strikes  me 
as  an  adventurer.  Has  he  spent  much  time  here  since 
I've  been  aweij?  " 

"  A  good  deal,  off  and  on.  But  it's  getting  chilly 
and  I  half  expect  a  reproving  lecture  from  Miss  Hume 
when  I  go  in.  First,  though,  tell  me  a  little  more 
about  the  young  Canadian  you  had  with  you." 

"  I  don't  know  much.  I  met  him  by  accident  —  he 
has  an  interest  in  some  mines,  I  believe,  but  he  struck 
me  as  a  remarkably  fine  type.  Clever  at  woodcraft,  as 
handy  with  the  ax  and  paddle  as  our  professional 
guide,  but  when  he  talked  about  other  things  he  seemed 
to  know  a  good  deal  more  than  I  do."  He  smiled. 
"  After  all,  that's  not  surprising.  But  what  I  liked 
most  was  the  earnestness  of  the  fellow ;  he  had  a  down- 
right way  of  grappling  with  things,  or  explaining 
them  to  you.      Sensible,  but  direct,  not  subtle." 

"  I've  met  men  of  that  description,  and  I'm  rather 
prejudiced  in  their  favor,"  declared  Millicent,  smiling. 
"  But  what  was  he  like  in  person  —  slightly  nigged?  " 

"  No ;  that's  where  you  and  others  sometimes  go 
wrong.     There's  nothing  of  the  barbarian  about  these 


NASMYTH  TELLS  HIS  STORY  67 

bushmcn.  I'lijsically,  they're  as  fine  a  type  as  we  are 
—  I  might  go  farther  —  straight  in  the  Hmb,  clean- 
lined  every  way,  square  in  the  shoulder.  They'd  make 
an  impression  at  any  London  gathering." 

"  So  long  as  they  didn't  speak. ^  " 

"  It  wouldn't  matter.  Allowing  for  a  few  collo- 
quialisms,  they're  worth  listening  to ;  which  is  more 
than  I'd  care  to  say  for  a  number  of  the  people  one 
meets  in  this  country." 

Milliccnt  laughed. 

"  Well,  I'll  be  glad  to  see  him  when  he  comes."  Her 
voice  grew  graver.  "  I  feel  grateful  to  him  already 
for  what  he  told  you  about  George." 

They  went  in  together  and  half  an  hour  later  Nas- 
myth  walked  home  across  the  moor.  He  had  never 
thought  more  highly  of  Millicent,  but  somehow  he  now 
felt  sorry  for  her.  It  scarcely  seemed  fitting  that  she 
should  live  in  that  lonely  spot  with  only  the  company 
of  an  elderly  and  staid  companion,  though  he  hardly 
thought  she  would  be  happier  if  she  plunged  into  a 
round  of  purposeless  amusements  in  the  cities.  Still, 
she  was  young  and  very  attractive;  he  felt  that  she 
should  have  more  than  the  thinly-peopled  countryside 
had  to  offer. 


CHAPTER  VII 

ON    THE    MOOES 

NEARLY  a  year  had  passed  since  Nasmyth's  re- 
turn when  Lisle  at  length  reached  England. 
Soon  after  his  arrival,  he  was,  as  Nasmyth's 
guest,  invited  to  join  a  shooting  partj'^,  and  one  bright 
afternoon  lie  stood  behind  a  bank  of  sods  high  on  a 
grouse-moor  overlooking  the  wastes  of  the  Border. 
The  heath  was  stained  with  the  bell-heather's  regal 
purple,  interspersed  with  the  vivid  red  of  the  more 
fragile  ling,  and  where  the  uplands  sloped  away  broad 
blotches  of  the  same  rich  colors  checkered  the  grass. 
In  the  foreground  a  river  gleamed  athwart  the  picture, 
and  overhead  there  stretched  an  arch  of  cloudless  blue. 
There  was  no  wind;  the  day  was  still  and  hot. 

A  young  lad  whose  sunburned  face  already  bore  the 
stamp  of  self-indulgence  was  stationed  behind  the 
butt  with  Lisle,  and  the  latter  was  not  favorably  im- 
pressed with  his  appearance  or  conversation. 

"  Look  out,"  he  cautioned  by  and  by.  "  You 
were  a  little  slow  last  time.     They  travel  pretty  fast." 

Lisle  picked  up  his  gun ;  he  had  used  one  in  the 
West,  though  he  was  more  accustomed  to  the  rifle. 
Cutting  clear  against  the  dazzling  sky,  a  straggling 
line  of  dark  specks  was  moving  toward  him,  and  a 
series  of  sharp  cracks  broke  out  from  the  farther  wing 

68 


ON  THE  MOORS  69 

of  the  row  of  butts,  wliich  stretched  across  the  moor. 
Lisle  watched  the  birds,  with  fingers  tightening  on  his 
gun ;  one  cluster  was  coming  his  way,  each  flitting 
body  growing  in  size  and  distinctness  with  marvelous 
rapidity.  Then  there  was  a  flash  beside  him,  and  an- 
other crash  as  he  pitched  up  his  gun.  Something 
struck  the  heather  with  a  thud  not  far  away,  and 
swinging  the  muzzle  a  little,  he  pulled  again.  He 
was  not  surprised  to  hear  a  second  thud,  and  laying 
down  his  gun  he  turned  to  his  youthful  companion, 
while  a  thin  cloud  of  acrid  vapor  hung  about  him. 

"  Get  anything?  "  he  asked. 

*'  I  didn't,"  was  the  sullen  answer.  "  Couldn't  ex- 
pect it  with  the  second  barrel,  after  you'd  filled  the 
place  with  smoke.  Wonder  why  Gladwyne's  man  gave 
you  the  old  black  powder?  " 

As  nearly  everybody  else  used  smokeless,  this  was 
a  point  that  had  aroused  Lisle's  curiosity,  though  it 
was  not  a  matter  of  much  importance.  Nasmyth  had 
provided  him  with  cartridges,  but  they  had  somehow 
been  left  behind,  and  on  applying  to  Gladwyne's 
keeper  he  had  been  supplied  with  ammunition  which, 
it  seemed,  was  out  of  date. 

"  After  all,  you  have  done  well  enough,"  his  com- 
panion resumed.  "  We'd  better  get  on  to  our  next 
station  —  it's  right  across  the  moor  on  the  high  ridge 
yonder.     Don't  bother  about  the  birds." 

"  Shall  I  leave  them  there?  " 

"  Certainly !  Do  you  want  to  carry  them  all  the 
afternoon?  One  of  the  keeper  fellows  will  bring  them 
along." 

The  lad's  tone  was  half  contemptuous;  he  had  al- 


70  THE  LONG  PORTAGE 

ready  shown  that  he  considered  the  Canadian  what  he 
would  have  called  an  outsider;  but  he  was  wilhng  to 
make  use  of  him. 

"  You  might  look  after  Bella ;  she's  alone  in  the 
next  butt  —  and  I've  something  else  to  do,"  he  said. 
"  There's  an  awkward  ghyll  to  cross  and  she  won't 
carry  anything  lighter  than  a  14-gun.  See  she  doesn't 
leave  the  cartridges  in  it." 

He  strode  away  across  the  heather,  and  Lisle  turned 
toward  the  turf  shelter  indicated.  As  he  approached 
it,  a  girl  appeared  and  glanced  at  him  with  very 
obvious  curiosity ;  but  as  he  supposed  that  she  was  the 
sister  of  his  late  companion  he  did  not  expect  any 
diffidence  from  her.  She  was  short  in  stature  and 
slight  in  figure,  and  dressed  in  grayish  brown;  hat, 
coat,  and  remarkably  short  skirt  all  of  the  same  ma- 
terial. Her  hair  was  of  a  copper  color;  her  eyes, 
which  were  rather  narrow,  of  a  pale  grayish-green. 
He  would  have  called  them  hard,  and  there  was  a  hint 
of  arrogance  in  her  expression.  Yet  she  was  pl- 
quantly  pretty. 

"  I  suppose  you're  Nasmyth's  Canadian  friend.'^ " 
she  began,  and  went  on  without  waiting  for  an  an- 
swer: "As  we  occupy  adjoining  butts  on  the  next 
drive,  you  may  take  my  gun.  Teddy  has  deserted 
me." 

"  Teddy  .f*  "  queried  Lisle,  who  wondered  if  she  were 
referring  to  her  brother.  "  I  thought  his  name  was 
Jim." 

"  It's  Marple's  stout  friend  with  the  dyed  hair  I 
mean.  I  told  him  what  would  happen  if  he  ate  as  he 
persisted  in  doing  at  lunch.  It's  too  hot  to  gorman- 
dize ;  I  wasn't  astonished  when  he  collapsed  at  the  steep 


ON  THE  MOORS  71 

place  on  tlie  last  walk.  Hcflccting  that  it  was  his  own 
fault,  I  k-ft  him." 

Lisle  was  not  charmed  with  the  girl's  manners,  but 
he  could  not  check  a  smile. 

"Are  you  tired.?  You  oughtn't  to  be,"  she  con- 
tinued with  another  bold  glance  at  him. 

"No,"  he  replied;  "if  it's  any  consolation  to  you, 
I'm  far  from  exhausted  yet." 

"  That's  reassuring,"  she  retorted.  "  You  haven't 
taken  my  gun." 

Having  forgotten  it  for  the  moment,  he  flushed  a 
little,  and  she  watched  him  with  unconcealed  amuse- 
ment while  he  opened  the  weapon  and  took  out  the 
cartridges. 

"  What's  that  for?  "  she  asked  impertinently.  "  It's 
hammerless ;  there's  nothing  to  catch." 

"  The  pull-off's  probably  very  light,  if  it's  been 
made  for  a  lady's  use.  It's  sometimes  possible  to  jar 
the  strikers  down  when  they  set  the  springs  to  yield  at 
a  touch." 

"  Then  you  know  something  about  guns.?  "  she  said, 
as  if  she  had  not  expected  this. 

"  Not  a  great  deal  about  the  scatter  kind,  though 
I've  stripped  a  few." 

"  We  never  do  that,"  she  informed  him.  "  We  send 
them  to  London.  Still,  you're  right ;  the  gun  did  go 
off  when  I  knocked  it  jumping  down  from  a  wall." 

"  If  you'll  let  me  have  it  to-night,  I'll  alter  that. 
I  understand  we're  going  out  again  to-morrow." 

She  considered  a  moment. 

"  Well,"  she  consented,  with  the  air  of  one  con- 
ferring a  favor,  "  3'ou  may  take  it  when  we've  fin- 
ished." 


72  THE  LONG  PORTAGE 

Lisle  wondered  what  had  prompted  him  to  make  the 
offer.  The  way  she  had  addressed  him  was  not  in- 
gratiating, but  he  dehghted  in  examining  any  fine 
mechanism  and  he  had  never  handled  such  a  beauti- 
fully made  weapon. 

They  plodded  on  side  by  side  through  the  heather, 
which  was  long  and  matted,  and  prescntl}^,  seeing  that 
she  was  breathless,  he  stopped  on  the  crest  of  a  higher 
rise  and  once  more  looked  about  with  keen  apprecia- 
tion. 

In  front  of  him  the  crimson  and  purple  heath  was 
rent  and  fissured,  and  in  the  deep  gaps  washed  out  by 
heavy  rains  the  peat  gleamed  a  warm  chocolate-brown. 
Elsewhere,  patches  of  moss  shone  with  an  emerald 
brightness,  and  there  were  outcrops  of  rock  tinted 
lustrous  gray  and  silver  with  lichens.  Below,  near 
the  foot  of  the  moor,  ran  a  straight  dark  line  of  firs, 
the  one  coldly-somber  streak  in  the  scene ;  but  beyond 
it  the  rolling,  sunlit  plain  ran  back,  fading  through 
ever  varying  and  softening  colors  to  the  hazy  blue 
heights  of  Scotland. 

Lisle's  companion  noticed  his  intent  expression. 

"  It  is  rather  fine  up  here,"  she  conceded.  "  I  some- 
times feel  it's  almost  a  pity  one  couldn't  live  among 
the  heather.  Certain  things  would  be  easier  on  these 
high  levels." 

"Yes?"  interrogated  Lisle,  slightly  puzzled  and 
astonished. 

"  You're  obviously  from  the  woods,"  she  smiled. 
"  If  you  had  spent  a  few  years  among  my  friends,  you 
would  understand.  I  was  referring  to  the  cultivation 
of  ideas  and  manners  which  seem  to  be  considered  out 
of  date  now." 


ON  THE  MOORS  73 

Lisle  made  no  reply  to  this,  but  he  glanced  too  di- 
rectly at  a  red  stain  on  her  hand. 

"  Blood,"  she  explained.  "  I  had  a  bet  with  Alan 
that  I'd  get  a  brace  more  than  Flo ;  that's  why  I  went 
after  a  cripple  running  in  the  ling.  It  wasn't  dead 
when  I  picked  it  up  —  rather  horrid,  wasn't  it.''  " 

The  man  was  conscious  of  some  disgust.  She 
looked  very  young  and,  slight  as  she  was,  her  figure 
was  prettily  rounded  and  she  had  a  soft,  kittenish 
gracefulness ;  but  she  spoke  with  the  assurance  of  a 
dowager.  Though  he  had  killed  and  cut  up  many  a 
deer,  he  shrank  from  the  small  red  stain  on  her  delicate 
hand.  She  saw  it  and  laughed,  and  then  with  a  sud- 
den change  of  mood  she  stooped  and  swiftly  rubbed 
her  fingers  in  the  heather. 

"  Now,"  she  said  sharply,  "  if  you're  sufficiently 
rested,  we'll  go  on." 

Lisle  moved  away,  but  he  asked  a  question : 

"  Do  many  girls  shoot  in  this  country  ?  " 

"  No,"  she  answered  with  a  mocking  smile ;  '*  not  so 
many,  after  all.  That's  comforting,  isn't  it?  This 
kind  of  thing  is  hard  work,  and  damaging  to  the  com- 
plexion." 

Presently  they  came  to  a  wall,  and  Lisle  stopped  in 
some  uncertainty.  It  was  as  high  as  his  shoulders  and 
built  of  loose,  rough  stones. 

"  Get  over,"  she  ordered  him.  "  Then  pull  a  lot  of 
it  down." 

He  did  so,  making,  though  he  endeavored  to  avoid 
this,  a  rather  wide  hole. 

She  scrambled  through  agilely  and  then  regarded 
him  with  surprise  as  he  proceeded  to  replace  the 
stones. 


•74  THE  LONG  PORTAGE 


Why  are  you  doing  that?  "  she  asked. 
There  are  sheep  up  here." 

"Too  many,  considering  that  it's  a  grouse-moor; 
but  what  of  it.^*     They  don't  belong  to  us." 

"  They  belong  to  somebody  who  would  rather  they 
didn't  stray,"  Lisle  rejoined.  "  In  the  country  I  come 
from,  it's  considered  a  serious  transgression  to  knock 
over  another  person's  fence  and  not  put  it  up 
again." 

He  calmly  went  on  with  his  task,  and  sitting  down 
she  took  out  a  silver  cigarette-case.  After  a  minute 
or  two  she  looked  up  at  him. 

*'  You're  doing  that  very  neatly,"  she  remarked. 

"  I've  done  something  of  the  kind  for  a  living," 
liisle  informed  her. 

"  Oh !  It's  curious  that  you  seem  proud  of  it.  In 
this  case,  I  don't  mind  your  keeping  me,  because  they 
can't  drive  up  the  birds  until  we  have  crossed  the 
higher  moor.  It  will  annoy  Gladwyne  and  his  keeper, 
and  I'm  not  pleased  with  cither  of  them.  I  wanted 
Flo  Marple's  station  at  the  first  butts." 

Lisle  considered  this.  He  had  wondered  why  she 
had  favored  him  with  her  company,  when,  although 
her  previous  companion  had  deserted  her,  she  could 
by  hun-ying  a  little  have  joined  the  others.  The  butts 
were  not  spaced  very  far  apart.  Their  late  occupants 
had,  however,  now  vanished  into  a  dip  of  the  moor. 
He  asked  himself  why  a  girl  with  her  assurance  should 
have  troubled  to  offer  him  an  explanation. 

When  he  had  finished  the  repairs  to  the  wall,  they 
went  on,  and  a  little  later  he  heard  a  sharp  "  Cruck  — 
cruck-curruck,"  to  one  side  of  him.  Swinging 
around,  he  saw  a  grouse  skimming  the  heather. 


ON  THE  MOORS  76 

"  A  pair  of  gloves  to  a  sovereign  that  you  miss  1 " 
cried  his  companion. 

The  bird  was  flying  fast;  Lisle  had  to  load,  and  by 
the  time  he  had  snapped  in  a  cartridge  it  was  a  long 
range.  This,  however,  was  somewhat  in  his  favor,  as 
he  was  better  used  to  the  rifle.  There  was  a  flash  and 
the  bird  struck  the  heath.  The  girl  glanced  at  him 
in  unveiled  appreciation. 

"  A  clean  kill !  "  she  exclaimed.  "  You  have  won 
the  gloves ;  and  you'll  dcser\'e  them  before  you  have 
heard  the  last  of  this  incident.  I  suppose  you  don't 
know  that  you  shouldn't  have  fired  a  shot  except  from 
behind  the  butts." 

She  watched  his  expression  with  open  amusement. 

"  You  don't  like  to  ask  why  I  tempted  you,"  she 
went  on.  "  It  was  to  vex  the  keeper ;  you  may  have 
turned  back  the  birds  the  beaters  are  driving  up." 

Thanks   for  the   information,"   Lisle   said   coolly. 

Do  you  mind  my  inquiring  whether  you  would  have 
taken  the  sovereign  in  case  I'd  missed?  As  you  sug- 
gested, I'm  lately  from  the  wilds." 

"  Of  course !  "  she  mocked.  "  I  could  have  had  it 
drilled  and  worn  it  on  a  chain  !  " 

The  man  made  no  comment  as  they  went  on.  Pres- 
ently they  came  to  a  deep  rift  in  the  moor  through 
which  a  stream  leaped  sparkling.  The  girl  scrambled 
down,  waist-deep  in  yellow  fern,  but  the  other  side  was 
steep  and  stony  and  she  was  glad  of  help  when  he  held 
out  his  hand.  They  made  the  ascent  with  some  diffi- 
culty and  on  reaching  the  summit  she  looked  around, 
breathless. 

"  This  is  a  romantic  spot,  if  you're  interested  in  the 
legends  of  the  Border,"  she  told  him. 


« 


76  THE  LONG  PORTAGE 

"  I  am,"  Lisle  said ;  and  she  sat  down  among  the 
heather. 

"  It's  an  excuse  for  a  rest,"  she  confessed.  "  The 
old  moss-troopers  used  to  ride  this  way  to  ravage  Cum- 
berland. It  was  advisable  for  them  to  follow  hidden 
paths  among  the  moors,  and  once  an  interesting  little 
skirmish  took  place  among  those  brakes  down  the  hol- 
low." 

She  pointed  toward  a  spot  where  the  ravine  widened 
into  a  level  strip  of  quaggy  grass  and  moss  which 
glowed  a  brilliant  emerald.  On  either  side  of  it  a 
gnarled  and  stunted  growth  of  alders  and  birches 
fringed  the  foot  of  the  steep  slopes,  and  between  them 
the  stream  spread  out  across  a  stretch  of  milk-white 
stones.  The  hollow  was  flooded  with  light  and  filled 
with  the  soft  murmur  of  iTinning  water. 

"  It  would  be  a  strong  place  to  hold,  if  the  de- 
fenders had  time  to  clioose  their  ground,"  Lisle  re- 
marked. 

*'  So  it  proved,"  replied  his  companion.  "  Well, 
once  upon  a  time,  a  bold  Scots  reaver,  riding  south, 
«aw  a  maid  who  pleased  him  near  a  Cumberland  pele. 
His  admiration  was  not  reciprocated,  but  he  came 
again,  often,  though  being  an  armed  thief  by  profes- 
sion there  was  a  price  upon  his  head.  It  is  stated 
that  on  each  occasion  he  returned  unaccompanied  by 
any  of  the  cattle  belonging  to  his  lady's  relatives, 
which  was  an  unusual  piece  of  forbearance.  In  those 
days,  men  must  have  been  able  to  disassociate  business 
from  their  love-making." 

"Don't  they  do  so  now.'*"  Lisle  inquired  lazily. 

She  looked  at  him  with  a  smile  which  had  a  hint  of 
real  bitterness  in  its  light  mockery. 


ON  THE  :\I0011S  77 

"  Not  often,  one  would  imagine.  Perhaps  they  can't 
be  blamed  —  I'm  afraid  we're  all  given  to  cultivating 
dreadfully  expensive  tastes.  No  doubt,  when  it  was 
needful,  the  Border  chieftain  of  the  story  could  live 
on  oatmeal  and  water,  and  instead  of  buying  pedigree 
hunters  he  probably  stole  his  pony.  He  haunted  the 
neighborhood  of  the  pele  until  the  maid  became  afraid 
and  urged  her  kinsmen  to  rid  her  of  him.  Several  of 
them  tried  and  failed  —  which  wasn't  surprising." 

"Love  made  him  invulnerable.''  "  Lisle  suggested. 

"  No,"  retorted  his  companion.  "  A  man  with  a 
heart  constant  and  stout  enough  to  face  the  risks  he 
ran  would  be  hard  to  kill.  When  you  read  between 
the  lines,  it's  a  moving  tale.  Think  of  the  long,  peril- 
ous rides  he  made  through  an  enemy's  land,  all  for  a 
glance  at  his  disdainful  lady !  They  Avatched  the  fords 
in  those  days,  but  neither  brawling  rivers  nor  well- 
mounted  horsemen  could  stop  him.  At  last,  he  came 
one  night  with  a  dozen  spears,  broke  in  the  burmkin 
gate  and  carried  her  off.  All  her  relatives  rode  hard 
after  them  and  came  up  with  them  in  this  ghj-ll. 
Then  there  happened  what  was,  in  one  way,  a  rather 
remarkable  thing  —  the  abducted  maid  lirmlv  de- 
clined  to  be  rescued.  There  was  a  brisk  encounter, 
I  believe  two  or  three  were  killed;  but  she  rode  off  to 
Scotland  with  her  lover.  I  suppose  I  needn't  point 
the  moral.'*  " 

"  I  can  see  only  the  ancient  one  —  that  it's  unwise 
to  take  a  lady's  '  No  '  as  conclusive,"  Lisle  ventured. 

She  laughed  at  him  in  a  daring  manner. 

"  The  pity  is  that  we  haven't  often  a  chance  of  say- 
ing it  to  any  one  worth  while.  But  I'll  express  the 
moral    in    a    prettier    way  —  sometimes    disinterested 


78  THE  LONG  PORTAGE 

steadfastness  and  real  devotion  count  with  us.  Un- 
fortunately, they're  scarce." 

There  was  a  challenge  in  her  glance,  but  the  man, 
not  knowing  what  was  expected  of  nim,  made  no  an- 
swer. At  first  he  had  been  almost  repelled  by  the 
girl,  but  he  was  becoming  mildly  interested  in  her. 
She  could,  he  thought,  be  daring  to  the  verge  of  coarse- 
ness, and  he  did  not  admire  her  pessimism,  which  was 
probably  a  pose ;  but  there  was  a  vein  of  elfish  miischief 
in  her  that  appealed  to  him.  Sitting  among  the 
heather,  small,  lithe,  and  felinely  graceful,  watching 
him  with  a  provocative  smile  in  her  rather  narrow  eyes, 
she  compelled  his  attention. 

"  Well,"  she  laughed,  "  you're  not  much  of  a  cour- 
tier. But  doesn't  that  story  bring  you  back  into  touch 
Avith  elemental  things  —  treacherous  mosses,  dark 
nights,  flooded  rivers,  passion,  peril,  dauntlessness  ? 
Now  we're  wrapped  about  with  empty  futilities." 

He  understood  part  of  what  was  in  her  mind  and 
sympathized  with  it.  He  had  lived  close  to  nature  in 
stem  grapple  with  her  unbridled  forces.  From  women 
he  demanded  no  more  than  beauty  or  gentleness ;  but 
a  man,  he  thought,  should  for  a  time,  at  least,  be 
forced  to  learn  the  stress  and  joy  of  the  tense  strug- 
gle with  cold  and  hunger,  heat  and  thirst,  on  long 
marches  or  in  some  dogged  attack  on  rock  and  flood. 
He  had  only  contempt  for  the  well-fed  idlers  who 
lounged  through  life,  not  always,  as  he  suspected,  even 
gracefully.  These,  however,  were  ideas  he  had  no  in- 
tention of  expressing. 

"  There  are  still  people  who  have  to  face  realities  in 
the  newer  lands ;  and  I  dare  say  j'ou  have  some  in  this 
country,  on  your  railroads  and  in  3'our  mines,  for  ex- 


ON  THE  MOORS  79 

ample,"  he  said.     "  But  hadn't  we  better  be  getting 
on?" 

They  left  the  brink  of  the  hollow  and  plodded 
through  the  heather  toward  where  a  row  of  butts 
stood  beneath  a  lofty  ridge  of  the  moor.  A  man  ap- 
peared from  behind  one  as  they  approached  and 
glanced  at  them  with  unconcealed  disapproval. 

"  Couldn't  you  have  got  here  earlier,  Bella.''  "  he 
asked.  "  In  another  few  minutes  you'd  have  spoiled 
the  drive  —  the  birds  can't  be  far  off  the  dip  of  the 
ridge.  Hardly  fair  to  the  keepers  or  the  rest  of  us 
to  take  these  risks,  is  it.'*" 

"  When  I  do  wrong,  I  never  confess  it,  Clarence," 
the  girl  replied.  "  You  ought  to  know  that  by 
now." 

Lisle  heard  the  name  and  became  suddenly  intent  — 
this  was  Clarence  Gladwyne !  There  was  no  doubt 
that  he  was  a  handsome  man.  He  was  tall  and  held 
himself  finely ;  he  had  a  light,  spring}-  figvire,  with 
dark  eyes  and  hair.  Besides,  there  Avas  a  certain  stamp 
of  refinement  or  fastidiousness  upon  him  which  was 
only  slightly  spoiled  by  the  veiled  hint  of  languid 
insolence  in  his  expression. 

"  I  heard  a  shot,"  he  resumed. 

"  I've  no  doubt  you  did,"  the  girl  agreed.  "  An 
old  cock  grouse  got  up  in  front  of  us  —  it  was  irre- 
sistibly tempting." 

Gladwyne  turned  to  Lisle  with  a  slight  movement  of 
his  shoulders  which  was  somehow  expressive  of  half- 
indulgent  contempt. 

"You're  Nasmyth's  friend  from  Canada.?  I  guess 
you  don't  understand  these  things,  but  you  might  have 
made  the  birds  break  back,"  he  said.     "  However,  we 


80  THE  LONG  PORTAGE 

must  get  under  cover  now  —  there's  your  butt.  I'll 
see  3'ou  later." 

He  turned  away  and  Lisle  took  up  his  station  behind 
the  wall  of  turf  pointed  to.  He  had  once  upon  a  time 
been  forcibly  rebuked  for  his  clumsiness  at  some  un- 
accustomed task  in  the  Canadian  bush  and  had  not  re- 
sented it,  but  the  faint  movement  of  Gladwyne's  shoul- 
ders had  brought  a  warmth  to  his  face.  The  girl 
noticed  this. 

"  Clarence  can  be  unpleasant  when  he  likes,  but 
there  are  excuses  for  him,"  she  said.  "  A  day's  shoot- 
ing is  one  of  the  things  we  take  seriously,  and  manners 
are  not  at  a  higher  premium  here  than  I  suppose  they 
are  in  the  wilds." 

Lisle  made  no  response,  and  there  was  silence  on  the 
sun-steeped  moor  until  a  row  of  small  dark  objects 
skimming  the  crest  of  the  ridge  above  became  silhouet- 
ted against  the  sky.  Then  a  gun  cracked  away  to  the 
right  and  in  another  moment  a  dropping  fusillade 
broke  out. 


CHAPTER  VIII 

GLADWYNE    RECEIVES    A    SHOCK 

IT  Avas  about  nine  o'clock  in  the  evening,  and  Glad- 
wyne's  somewhat  noisy  guests  were  scattered 
about  his  house  and  the  terrace  in  front  of  it. 
Several  of  them  had  gathered  in  the  hall,  and  Bella 
Crestwick,  Lisle's  companion  on  the  moors,  stood,  ciga- 
rette in  hand,  with  one  foot  on  the  old-fashioned 
hearth-irons,  frankly  discussing  him.  A  few  birch 
logs  glowed  behind  the  bars,  for  on  those  high  uplands 
the  autumn  nights  were  chilly,  but  the  wide  door  stood 
open,  revealing  a  pale  green  band  of  light  behind  the 
black  hills,  and  allowing  the  sweet,  cool  air  of  the 
moors  to  flow  in. 

The  girl  had  gained  something  by  the  change  from 
her  outdoor  attire  to  the  clinging  evening  dress,  but 
it  was  with  characteristic  unconcern  that  she  disre- 
garded the  fact  that  the  thin  skirt  fell  well  away  from 
one  shapely  ankle  effectively  displayed  by  a  stocking 
of  the  finest  texture. 

"  The  man,"  she  said,  "  is  a  bit  of  a  Puritan.  They 
still  live  over  there,  don't  they?  His  idea  of  English 
women  is  evidently  derived  from  what  his  father  told 
him,  or  from  early-Victorian  literature.  I'm  inclined 
to  believe  I  shocked  him." 

"  It's  highly  probable,"  lauglied  a  man  lounging 
near.     "  Still,  I  believe  the  descendants   of  the  folks 

81 


82  THE  LONG  PORTAGE 

you  mention  live  three  thousand  miles  from  his  coun- 
try, in  the  neighborhood  of  the  Atlantic  shore.  One 
wouldn't  fancy  that  you'd  like  Puritans." 

There  was  nothing  offensive  in  the  words,  but  his 
glance  was  a  little  too  bold  and  too  familiar,  and  Bella 
looked  at  him  with  a  gleam  of  malice  in  her  eyes. 

"  Extremes  meet ;  it's  the  middle  — ■  the  medium  me- 
diocrity —  that's  irreconcilable  with  either  end,"  she 
retorted.  "  For  instance,  I  led  a  life  of  severe  as- 
ceticism all  last  Lent."  There  were  incredulous  smiles, 
though  the  statement  was  perfectly  correct.  "  It's  a 
course  I  could  confidently  recommend  to  you,"  she  pro- 
ceeded, unheeding ;  "  of  late  you  have  been  putting  on 
flesh  with  an  alarming  rapidity." 

The  man  made  no  response  and  Bella  resumed: 

"  Besides,  the  Puritans  have  their  good  points ; 
they're  so  refreshingly  sure  of  themselves  and  their 
views,  while  the  rest  of  us  don't  believe  in  anything. 
You  can't  be  a  fanatic  without  being  thorough,  and 
in  renouncing  the  world  and  the  flesh  you  may  gain 
more  than  a  passable  figure.  Among  other  things, 
the  ascetic  life  means  straight  shooting,  steady  hands, 
and  an  eye  you  can  depend  upon.  The  overcivilized 
man  who  does  nothing  to  counterbalance  his  luxuri- 
ousness  is  generally  a  rotter." 

"  But  what  has  all  this  to  do  with  Nasmyth's  Ca- 
nadian ?  "  somebody  asked. 

Bella  waved  her  cigarette. 

"  Try  to  walk  a  steep  moor  v/ith  him  and  you'll  see. 
If  that's  not  sufficient,  take  the  same  butt  with  him 
when  the  grouse  are  coming  over." 

Suddenly  she  straightened  herself,  dropping  her  foot 
from  the  iron  and  flinging  the  cigarette  into  the  fire, 


GLADWYNE  RECEIVES  A  SHOCK        83 

as  a  gray-haircd  lady  entered  the  liall.  She  had  heen 
a  beauty  3'ears  ago  and  now  lier  fragility  emphasized 
the  fineness  of  her  features  and  the  clear  pallor  of  her 
skin.  She  was  dressed  in  a  thin  black  fabric,  and  her 
beautifully  shaped  hands  gleamed  unusually  white 
against  its  somber  folds. 

"Where's  Clarence.''"  she  asked  the  group  col- 
lectively, in  a  voice  that  was  singularly  clear  and  pene- 
trative.    "  I  haven't  seen  him  for  the  last  half-hour." 

One  of  the  men  immediately  went  in  search  of  him, 
and  the  lady  crossed  the  hall  to  where  Milllcent  Glad- 
wyne  was  sitting,  for  the  time  being  alone.  Millicent 
liad  noticed  Bella's  sudden  change  of  demeanor  upon 
her  hostess's  entrance,  with  something  between  amuse- 
ment and  faint  disgnst.  IMrs.  Gladwyne  was  what 
Bella  would  liave  called  early-Victorian  in  her  views, 
and  she  would  occasionally  have  been  disturbed  by  the 
conversation  of  some  of  her  son's  guests,  had  she  not 
been  a  little  deaf. 

"  Sitting  quiet.''  "  she  said  to  ISIillicent,  who  was  a 
favorite  of  hers ;  and  her  voice  carried  farther  than 
she  was  aware  of  as  she  continued :  "  I  heard  the 
laughter  and  it  brought  me  down,  though  I  want  to 
tell  Clarence  something.  I  like  to  see  bright  faces ; 
but  the  times  have  changed  since  I  was  young.  We 
were  a  little  more  reserved  and  not  so  nols}^  then." 

"  A  dear  old  thing !  It's  a  pity  she's  quite  so  ante- 
diluvian," Bella  remarked  to  a  man  at  her  side. 

"  Isn't  that  the  natural  penalty  of  being  a  dear  old 
thing?"  laughed  her  companion.  "There's  no  doubt 
we  have  progressed  pretty  rapidly  of  late." 

Clarence  appeared  shortly  after  this  and  was  gently 
chidden  by  his  mother  for  going  out  wiHiout  his  hat, 


84.  THE  LONG  PORTAGE 

because  the  autumn  nights  were  getting  chilly.  A 
few  minutes  later,  footsteps  became  audible  outside  the 
open  door  and  Nasmyth  entered  the  hall  with  Lisle. 
It  was  spacious  and  indifferently  lighted ;  the  others, 
standing  near  the  hostess,  concealed  her,  and  Lisle 
stopped  for  a  word  with  Bella.  Then  Nasmyth  no- 
ticed Mrs.  Gladwjme  and  called  to  his  companion. 

"  This  way,  Vernon." 

Clarence  swung  round  with  a  start  and  cast  a  swift 
glance  at  the  stranger,  and  Millicent  wondered  why 
his  face  set  hard ;  but  the  next  moment  Nasmyth  led 
up  the  Canadian  and  presented  him.  Mrs.  Gladwyne 
had  risen  and  Lisle  made  a  little  respectful  inclination 
over  the  delicate  hand  she  held  out.  Age  had  but 
slightly  spoiled  her  beauty ;  she  had  still  a  striking 
presence,  and  a  manner  in  which  a  trace  of  stateliness 
was  counterbalanced  by  gentle  good-humor.  Lisle 
was  strongly  impressed,  but,  as  Millicent  noticed,  he 
betrayed  no  awkwardness. 

"  I  seem  to  have  heard  your  name  before  in  con- 
nection with  Canada,"  said  Mrs.  Gladwyne,  confusing 
it  with  his  surname.  "  Ah,  yes !  Of  course ;  it  was 
George's  guide  I  was  thinking  of."  She  turned  to 
Millicent,  adding  in  an  audible  aside:  "I've  a  bad 
habit  of  forgetting.     Forgive  me,  my  dear." 

Everything  considered,  it  was,  perhaps,  the  most 
awkward  thing  she  could  have  said ;  but  Lisle's  bronzed 
face  was  imperturbable,  and  Gladwyne  hdd  promptly 
recovered  his  composure  as  he  realized  the  mistake. 
Still,  for  a  moment,  he  had  been  badly  startled.  No- 
body noticed  Nasmyth,  v/hich  was  fortunate,  because 
his  unnatural  immobility  would  have  betrayed  him. 


GLADWYXE  RECEIVES  A  SHOCK        85 

**  I'd  been  expecting  3011  both  earlier ;  told  you  to 
come  to  dinner,"  said  his  host. 

Then  he  addressed  Lisle. 

"  As  my  mother  mentioned,  I  had  once  something  to 
do  with  a  man  called  ^'ernon,  in  Canada." 

Knowing  what  he  did.  Lisle  fancied  that  Glad- 
wyne's  indifferent  tone  had  cost  him  an  effort. 

"  It's  only  my  Christian  name,  as  you  have  heard," 
he  explained. 

"  You  were  up  in  the  bush  with  Nasmyth,  were  you 
not.?  " 

"  Yes,"  answered  Lisle.  "  I  met  him  quite  by 
chance  in  a  Victoria  hotel  when  I  happened  to  have 
a  few  weeks  at  my  disposal  which  I  thought  of  spend- 
ing in  the  wilds.  When  he  heard  that  I  intended  mak- 
ing a  trip  through  the  northern  part  of  the  country 
and  suggested  that  we  should  go  together  I  was  glad 
to  consent." 

"  Then  3'ou  belong  to  Victoria "?  " 

"  I  was  located  there  when  I  met  Nasmyth.  Before 
that  I  was  up  in  the  Yukon  district  for  some  time. 
Since  leaving  him  I've  lived  in  the  cit}'." 

He  thought  Gladw3'ne  was  relieved  at  his  answer, 
for  the  latter  smiled  genially. 

"  Well,"  he  said,  "  we  must  try  to  make  your  visit 
to  this  country  pleasant." 

Shortly  after  this,  the  group  broke  up  and  Glad- 
wyne,  escaping  from  his  guests,  slipped  out  on  to  the 
terrace  and  v^alked  up  and  down.  Nasmyth  had 
merely  mentioned  that  he  had  a  Canadian  friend  stay- 
ing with  him ;  somehow  a  formal  introduction  had 
been  omitted  during  the  day  on  the  moors,  and  Glad- 


86  THE  LONG  PORTAGE 

wyne  had  been  badly  disconcerted  when  he  heard  the 
man  addressed  as  Vernon.  The  name  vividly  recalled 
a  Canadian  episode  that  he  greatly  desired  to  forget, 
and  he  had,  indeed,  to  some  extent  succeeded  in  doing 
so.  That  unfortunate  affair  was  done  with,  he  had 
assured  himself;  for  two  years  it  had  scarcely  been 
mentioned  in  his  hearing,  but  for  a  horrible  moment 
which  had  taxed  his  courage  to  the  utmost  he  had 
almost  fancied  that  it  was  about  to  be  brought  to  light 
again.  Lisle's  answer  and  manner  had,  however,  re- 
assured him.  Nasmyth  had  met  the  man  accidentally 
and  it  was  merely  as  the  result  of  this  that  they  had 
made  the  journey  through  the  bush  together.  It  was 
evident  that  he  had  been  needlessly  alarmed. 

For  all  that,  he  was  troubled.  Living  for  his  own 
pleasure,  as  he  did,  he  was  nevertheless  a  man  who 
valued  other  people's  good  opinion  and  prided  him- 
self upon  doing  the  correct  and  most  graceful  thing. 
There  was  no  doubt  that  he  had  once  badly  failed  in 
this,  but  it  was  in  a  moment  of  physical  weakness, 
when  he  was  exhausted  and  famishing.  After  all,  it 
was  most  probable  that  his  cousin  had  died  before  he 
could  have  reached  him,  and  there  were,  he  thought, 
few  men  who,  if  similarly  situated,  would  have  faced 
the  risk  of  the  return  journey.  Still,  the  truth  would 
have  had  an  ugly  sound  had  it  come  out.  This  was 
v.'hy  he  had  spread  the  story  of  the  guide's  defection, 
which  he  now  regretted.  It  might  not  have  been 
strictly  necessary,  but  he  had  reached  the  trappers' 
camp  on  the  verge  of  a  collapse,  too  far  gone  to  rea- 
son out  the  matter  calmly.  A  man  in  that  condition 
could  hardly  be  held  accountable  for  his  action.  Be- 
sides, it  was  incredible  that  the  guide's  statement  that 


GLADWYNE  RECEIVES  A  SHOCK        87 

he  had  made  the  journey  without  replenishing  his  pro- 
visions could  be  correct. 

His  reflections  were  inteniipted  by  Mrs.  Gladwyne, 
who  came  out,  wrapped  in  a  shawl, 

"Why  are  you  here  alone?"  she  asked.  "You 
look  disturbed.     Plas  anything  gone  wrong?  " 

Gladwyne  was  sorry  that  she  had  joined  him  where 
the  light  from  a  window  fell  on  his  face,  but  he 
smiled. 

"  No,"  lie  answered  quietly,  for  he  was  always  gen- 
tle with  her.  "  I  only  felt  that  I'd  rather  avoid  the 
chatter  of  the  others  for  a  few  minutes.  I  suppose 
it  was  the  man's  name,  together  with  your  reference 
to  George,  that  upset  me." 

Mrs.  Gladwyne  laid  her  hand  on  his  arm.  She  was 
inordinately  fond  and  proud  of  the  son  whom  she 
liad  spoiled. 

*'  I  sometimes  think  you  are  too  sensitive  on  that 
point,  Clarence,"  she  said.  "  Of  course,  it  was  very 
tragic  and  we  both  owe  George  a  great  deal,  but-  you 
did  all  that  anybody  could  have  done." 

The  man  winced,  and  it  was  fortunate  that  they 
had  now  left  the  light  behind  and  his  mother  could 
not  see  his  face. 

"  I  could  have  stayed  and  died  with  him,"  he  broke 
out  with  unaffected  bitterness.  "  There  were  times  at 
the  beginning  when  I  was  sorry  I  let  him  send  me 
away." 

Mrs.  Gladwyne  shook  her  head  reproachfully.  She 
"was  gracious  and  quietly  dignified  and  refined  in 
thouglit,  but  for  all  that  she  was  not  one  to  appreciate 
such  a  sacrifice  as  he  had  indicated. 

"  I'm  afraid  that  was  an  undue  exaggeration  of  a 


88  THE  LONG  PORTAGE 

natural  feeling,"  she  remonstrated.  "  How  could 
your  staying  have  helped  him,  when  by  going  in 
search  of  help  you  increased  his  only  chance  of  safety? 
I  have  always  been  glad  you  were  clear-headed  enough 
to  realize  it,  instead  of  yielding  to  mistaken  emotional 
inclinations." 

Gladwyne  felt  hot  with  shame.  His  mother  had 
an  unshaken  confidence  in  his  honor,  which  was  the 
less  surprising  because  her  perceptions  had  never  been 
very  keen  and  she  had  always  shrunk  from  the  con- 
templation of  unpleasant  things.  It  was  an  amiable 
weakness  of  hers  to  idealize  those  she  loved,  and  by 
resolutely  shutting  her  eyes  on  occasions  she  succeeded 
in  accomplishing  it  more  or  less  successfully.  Clar- 
ence was,  of  course,  aware  of  this,  and  it  hurt  to  re- 
member that  in  deserting  his  cousin  he  had  been 
prompted  chiefly  by  craven  fear.  His  mother,  how- 
ever, quite  unconscious  of  what  she  was  doing,  further 
humiliated  him. 

"  Of  course,"  she  continued,  "  if  you  had  found  the 
cache  of  provisions,  it  would  have  been  your  duty  to 
return  to  George  at  any  hazard,  and  I  have  no  doubt 
whatever  that  you  would  have  gone." 

The  damp  stood  beaded  on  the  man's  forehead.  He 
realized  that  even  his  lenient  and  indulgent  mother 
would  shrink  from  him  if  she  knew  that  he  had  aban- 
doned his  dying  benefactor  like  a  treacherous  coward. 
He  said  nothing  and  they  had  strolled  to  the  end  of 
the  terrace  before  she  spoke  again. 

"  I  think  it  would  be  better  to  go  back  to  the  others 
and  drive  away  these  morbid  ideas,"  she  advised. 
"  It's  a  duty  to  look  at  the  brightest  side  of  every- 
thing." 


GLADWYNE  RECEIVES  A  SHOCK        S9 

He  made  no  answer,  but  he  strove  witli  some  degree 
of  success  to  recover  his  usual  tranquilhty  as  they 
turned  toward  the  entrance  of  the  hall. 

In  the  meanwhile,  Lisle  had  been  talking  to  Milli- 
cent.  She  had  already  made  a  marked  impression  on 
him,  for  in  the  wilds  the  man  had  acquired  a  swift 
and  true  insight  into  character.  One  has  time  to  think 
in  the  lonely  places  where,  since  life  itself  often  de- 
pends upon  their  accuracy,  a  man's  perceptions  grow 
keen,  and  though  some  of  tlie  minor  complexities  and 
subtleties  of  modern  civilization  might  have  puzzled 
him  he  was  seldom  mistaken  in  essentials. 

He  liked  her  direct  and  calmly  searching  gaze;  he 
liked  her  voice  which,  while  soft  and  pleasant,  had  a 
trace  of  gravity  in  it.  He  knew  that  her  fine  car- 
riage was  a  sign  of  physical  vigor  and  he  recognized 
how  it  had  been  gained  by  the  clear,  warm  tinting  of 
her  slightly  sun-darkened  skin.  But,  apart  from  this 
and  her  comeliness,  which  was  marked,  there  was  that 
in  her  personalit}'  which  spoke  of  evenness  and  depth 
of  character.  She  was  steadfast,  not  lightly  to  be 
swayed  from  a  resolve,  he  thought. 

"  Nasmyth  has  often  spoken  about  you,'*  she  told 
him.  "  I  understand  it  was  chiefly  by  your  help  that 
he  succeeded  in  reaching  the  scene  of  my  brother's 
death.      I  want  to  thank  you  for  that." 

Her  voice  was  quiet,  but  it  did  not  betoken  indiffer- 
ence; he  knew  that  she  was  not  one  to  forget.  He 
could  not  think  of  any  apposite  answer,  but  she  saw 
the  sympathy  in  his  eyes  and  it  pleased  her  more  than 
words  would  have  done. 

"  It  w^as  a  relief  to  me  that  Nasmyth  made  that 
journey,"   she  went  on.     "  I   wanted  to  learn   every- 


90  THE  LONG  PORTAGE 

thing  that  could  be  known  —  instead  of  shrinking 
from  it.     You  see,  I  had  a  great  faith  in  my  brother." 

"  He  deserved  it,"  Lisle  declared  warmly.  "  I  have 
gathered  enough  to  convince  mc  of  that !  " 

"  Thank  you !  Clarence  was  not  in  a  condition  to 
notice  an^'thing  very  clearly  during  his  journey,  and 
I  think  what  he  suffered  blunted  his  recollection.  Be- 
sides, the  subject  is  a  distressing  one  to  him,  and  it  is 
seldom  he  can  be  induced  to  speak  about  it.  Perhaps 
that  is  a  pity ;  I  find  it  does  not  always  save  one 
trouble  in  the  end  to  avoid  a  little  immediate  pain." 

Lisle  was  gratified.  She  had  spoken  so  unrestrain- 
edly, though  he  imagined  that  it  was  a  somewhat  un- 
usual thing  for  her  to  take  a  stranger  into  her  confi- 
dence. 

"  Yes,"  he  replied ;  "  I  think  that's  very  true.  It's 
better  to  face  it  and  get  it  over.  The  wound  sooner 
heals." 

She  smiled  rather  wistfully  and  changed  the  sub- 
ject. 

"  I  told  Nasmyth  that  you  taught  him  to  see." 

"  I  suppose  I  did,"  acknowledged  Lisle.  "  Still,  it 
was  only  as  far  as  it  concerned  the  things  that  Pm 
acquainted  with.  I'm  not  sure  that  my  meaning's 
very  clear?  " 

"  I  understand.  You  knew  what  to  expect ;  that 
carries  one  a  long  way.  Were  you  disappointed  in 
finding  it?  " 

He  was  a  little  surprised  at  her  keenness,  and  rather 
confused.  This  was  a  question  that  could  not  be  di- 
rectly answered. 

"  What  I  was  more  particularly  referring  to  was 
the  meaning  of  such  things  as  a  broken  branch,  a  gap 


GLADWYNE  RECEIVES  A  SHOCK        91 

in  a  thicket,  or  a  few  displaced  stones,"  he  explained. 
"  I  taught  him  what  to  infer  from  those." 

"  Yes,"  she  said ;  "  I  understand  that  you  discov- 
ered nothing  new  —  I  mean  nothing  that  could  throw 
any  further  light  upon  what  befell  my  brother  after 
the  others  left  him." 

He  was  glad  that  he  could  answer  her  candidly. 

"  No ;  we  can  only  suppose  that  the  conclusions  the 
rescue  party  came  to  were  correct.  But  all  that  we 
found  relating  to  the  week  or  two  before  the  separa- 
tion spoke  of  the  courageous  struggle  that  your 
brother  made  and  his  generosity  in  sending  the  others 
away." 

She  bent  her  head. 

"  That,"  she  said  quietly,  "  is  only  what  one  would 
have  expected.  He  left  a  diary ;  you  must  come  over 
and  see  it." 

"  I  should  like  to,  if  it  wouldn't  be  painful  to  you." 

"  No,"  she  replied ;  "  I  shall  be  glad  to  show  it  to 
you." 

She  left  him  shortly  after  this  and  strolled  out  on 
to  the  terrace,  thinking  about  him.  The  little  she  had 
seen  of  him  had  pleased  her;  he  had  earnest  ej'es  and 
a  resolute  air,  and  she  liked  the  men  who  lived  In  the 
open.  He  was  direct,  and  perhaps  a  little  rudimentary 
without  being  awkward,  which  was  in  his  favor,  for 
subtlety  of  any  kind  was  distasteful  to  her.  Still,  in 
one  respect,  she  was  disappointed  —  he  had  in  no  way 
amplified  Nasmyth's  story,  and  she  had  expected  to 
hear  a  little  more  of  the  expedition  from  him. 


CHAPTER  IX 

LISLE    GATHERS    INFORMATION 

NASMYTH'S  dinner  was  over  and  he  lay,  pipe 
in  hand,  in  an  easy-chair  in  his  smoking-room, 
with  Lisle  lounging  opposite  him.  They  had 
been  walking  up  partridges  among  the  higher  turnip 
fields  all  day,  and  now  both  were  pleasantly  tired  and 
filled  with  languid  good-humor.  Nasmyth's  house  was 
old  —  it  had  been  built  out  of  the  remains  of  a  Border 
pele  —  and  the  room  was  paneled  to  the  ceiling  and 
very  simply  furnished.  It  had  an  ancient  look  and 
an  ancient  smell,  and  the  few  articles  of  plain  oak 
furniture  harmonized  with  it.  The  window  stood 
wide  open,  and  the  fragrance  of  a  grove  of  silver  firs 
outside  drifted  in.  The  surroundings  had  their  effect 
on  Lisle,  who  had  not  been  accustomed  to  dwellings 
of  that  kind. 

"  You  have  been  here  a  fortnight  and  must  have 
formed  a  few  opinions  about  us,"  Nasmyth  remarked 
at  length.  "  You  needn't  be  shy  about  expressing 
them,  and  I've  no  doubt  there  are  things  you'd  like  to 
ask." 

"  As  a  whole,  my  opinion's  highly  favorable,"  Lisle 
announced  with  a  smile.  "  I'd  be  uncommonly  hard 
to  please  if  it  weren't." 

"  That's  flattering.  But  I'm  not  sure  that  I  meant 
as  a  whole;  I  had  a  few  particular  instances  in  my 

92 


LISLE  GATHERS  INFORMATION         93 

mind.  Bella  Crestwick,  for  example ;  I'm  curious  to 
licar  what  you  think  of  her.  She  seems  quite  favor- 
ably impressed  with  you." 

"  She's  interesting,"  Lisle  replied.  ."  A  type  that's 
new  to  me;  the  latest  development,  isn't  it?  Anyway, 
I  like  her — whatever  the  admission's  worth  —  though 
I  must  say  that  I  found  her  rather  startling  at  first. 
She's  honest,  I  think,  and  that  counts  for  a  good  deal.'* 

"  I  suppose  you're  not  aware  that  she's  desirably 
rich.?" 

"  I  wasn't.  It's  not  a  fact  of  any  moment  to  me. 
Besides,  I've  a  suspicion  that  it's  Gladvvyne's  scalp 
she's  after." 

Nasmyth  nodded. 

"  You're  prett}'  shrewd.  Though  I've  had  much 
greater  opportunities  for  observation,  that  idea  has 
only  lately  occurred  to  me.  Of  course,  in  a  general 
way,  I  shouldn't  discuss  my  acquaintances  in  this 
casual  fashion,  but  as  you  are  likely  to  see  a  good 
deal  of  us  there  are  things  3'ou'd  better  know." 

"  I'll  explain  my  point  of  view,"  said  Lisle,  refill- 
ing his  pipe.  "  You  have  seen  something  of  the  kind 
of  life  I've  led.  Half  my  time,  I  suppose,  has  been 
spent  in  primeval  surroundings ;  the  rest  in  contact 
with  the  latest  efforts  of  a  rather  unfinished  civiliza- 
tion. Well,  what  you  have  to  show  me  here  is  vastly 
different.  These  old  houses,  your  smoothed-down 
ways,  are  a  revelation  to  me.  The  polish  on  some  of 
your  furniture  has  taken  several  hundred  3'ears  to 
put  on ;  that  in  my  Victoria  quarters  smells  of  the  fac- 
tory, and  the  board  walls  of  other  hotels  I've  lived 
in  rend  into  big  cracks  because  they're  fresh  from 
the  mill.     I'm  full  of  interest ;  everything's  new  to  me. 


94  THE  LONG  PORTAGE 

But  so  far  my  curiosity's  impersonal;  I'm  taking  no 
hand  in  anything." 

His  companion's  face  grew  grave. 

"  The  trouble  is  that  you  may  not  be  able  to  avoid 
it  later.  You're  here,  and  some  part  will  probably 
be  forced  on  you.  However,  as  I  said,  I  think  you're 
right  about  Bella." 

"  But  her  money  would  be  no  great  inducement  to 
Gladwyne." 

"  That's  not  certain.  Clarence  has  a  way  of 
squandering  money,  and  you  may  as  well  understand 
that  there's  very  little  to  be  derived  from  agricultural 
property.  George  had  his  mother's  money,  but  he 
left  it  to  Millicent;  Clarence  got  only  the  land. 
That's  what  made  a  match  between  them  seem  so  de- 
sirable." 

"  Desirable !  "  Lisle  broke  out.  "  It's  impossible ! 
Not  to  be  contemplated  1 " 

"  Yes,"  Nasmyth  agreed  quietly.  "  If  necessary, 
it  will  have  to  be  prevented.  I  was  only  stating  pop- 
ular opinion." 

There  was  something  curious  in  his  tone  and  Lisle 
looked  hard  at  him.  Their  eyes  met  full  for  a  mo- 
ment and  the  thoughts  of  each  were  clear  to  the  other. 

"  If  anything  must  be  done,  it  will  fall  to  you," 
Nasmyth  went  on.  "  In  this  case  it  would  be  partic- 
ularly invidious  for  me  to  interfere.  But,  if  there  had 
been  nobody  else,  I'd  have  broken  off  the  match." 

Lisle  made  no  comment,  but  there  was  comprehen- 
sion and  sympathy  in  his  expression,  and  Nasmyth 
nodded. 

"  Yes,"  he  acknowledged ;  "  it's  an  open  secret  that 
I  would  have  looked  for  nothing  better  than  to  marry 


LISLE  GATHERS  INFORMATION         95 

Milliccnt  Gladwyne."  He  paused  with  a  slight  flush 
creeping  into  his  hronzed  face.  "  For  all  that,  I  knew 
some  years  ago  that  I  liadn't  the  faintest  chance  and 
never  would  liave.  I  have  her  confidence  and  friend- 
ship ;  that  has  to  be  enough." 

"  I  think  it's  a  good  deal,"  said  Lisle. 

There  was  silence  for  a  minute  or  two,  and  then 
Lisle  asked  a  question : 

"  How  could  a  girl  like  Millicent  Gladwyne  ever 
contemplate  the  possibility  of  marrying  Clarence.''" 

"  It's  puzzling  to  me.  These  things  often  are  to 
outsiders.  Still,  Clarence  is  a  handsome  man,  and  I 
think  George  was  in  favor  of  the  match,  which  would 
count  with  her.  Then,  in  a  way,  she  was  always  fond 
of  Clarence,  and  now  that  she  has  the  money  and  he's 
far  from  prospering  on  the  land,  the  idea  that  she 
could  set  him  firmly  on  his  feet  by  sharing  her  posses- 
sions with  him  may  prove  tempting.  It's  very  much 
the  sort  of  thing  that  would  appeal  to  her." 

"  You  suggest  that  she  isn't  strongly  attached  to 
the  man." 

"  I  really  believe  she  isn't ;  but,  for  all  that,  I'm 
sometimes  afraid  she'll  end  by  marrying  him.  It's 
very  probable  that  she  suspects  some  of  his  faults, 
but  I'm  not  sure  they'd  deter  her.  It  would  make  her 
more  compassionate,  believing  it  was  her  duty  to  help 
him  —  that  kind  of  thing's  an  old  delusion.  Still,  to 
do  the  fellow  justice,  he  hasn't  of  late  shown  nmch 
eagerness  to  profit  by  his  opportunities." 

Lisle  mused  for  a  few  moments.  It  struck  him 
that  Nasmyth  had  described  a  very  fine  t^'pe  of  woman, 
which  was  quite  in  accordance  with  his  own  ideas  of 
jNIiss  Gladwyne. 


96  THE  LONG  PORTAGE 

"  What  led  Gladwyne  to  cultivate  Marple  and  the 
Crestwicks  ?  "  he  asked.  "  They're  different  from  the 
rest  of  you." 

"  I  can't  say.  It's  a  point  I've  wondered  about, 
though  Marple  and  his  rather  rowdy  friends  are  pros- 
perous. I  can  better  see  why  they  got  hold  of  Clar- 
ence." 

"  I  don't  see  it,"  responded  Lisle.  "  Remember  I'm 
an  unsophisticated  stranger  in  search  of  information. 
If  they've  means  enough,  can't  they  associate  with 
whom  they  like  ?  " 

Nasmyth  smiled,  but  there  was  a  trace  of  diffidence 
in  his  manner. 

"  In  a  way,  you're  right ;  but  there  are  limits,  more 
particularly  ii}  such  a  place  as  this.  The  counties, 
I'm  sometimes  thankful,  don't  keep  pace  with  London. 
It's  a  little  difficult  to  explain,  but  we're  old-fashioned 
and  possibly  prejudiced  here.  Anyhow,  we  exercise  a 
certain  amount  of  caution  in  the  choice  of  our  friends." 

"  But  Mrs.  Gladwyne  seems  cordial  to  the  people 
you  object  to,  and  one  would  imagine  that  she's  the 
embodiment  of  your  best  traditions,  a  worthy  repre- 
sentative of  the  old  regime." 

"  Mrs.  Gladwyne  is  a  remarkably  fine  lady,  but  it's 
unfortunate  that  she's  a  little  deaf  and  —  it  must  be 
owned  —  not  particularly  intelligent.  A  good  deal 
of  what  goes  on  escapes  her.  Besides,  she  has  always 
idolized  Clarence,  and  that  would  account  for  her  not 
seeing  his  friends'  failings." 

**  It's  curious  that  Gladwyne  makes  so  much  of  that 
young  Crestwick." 

"  I've  wondered  about  it,"  Nasm^^th  confessed. 
*'  The  lad's  vicious  —  and  I've  an  idea  that  the  influ- 


LISLE  GATHERS  INFORMATION         97 

ence  Clarence  has  over  him  isn't  beneficial.  In  fact, 
I'm  sorry  for  his  sister.  She  has  been  given  her  head 
too  young,  but,  in  my  opinion,  the  girl's  the  pick  of  a 
very  indifferent  bunch." 

"  But  you  haven't  accounted  for  these  people's 
desire  to  be  on  good  terms  with  Gladwyne." 

Nasmyth  hesitated. 

"  Oh,  well,  since  you're  so  persistent,  the  Crestwicks 
have  evidently  been  left  with  ample  means,  acquired 
by  their  parents,  not  much  education,  and  big  ambi- 
tions. They  can  get  into  certain  circles,  but  that 
won't  content  them,  and  other  doors,  which  Gladwyne 
can  open  to  them,  are  shut.  After  all,  he's  a  good 
sportsman,  a  man  of  some  culture,  with  a  manner 
that's  likely  to  impress  such  people.  The  lad's  hold- 
ing on  to  him  and  taking  his  worst  aspect  for  a  copy, 
while  Clarence  seems  willing  to  extend  his  patronage." 

*'  For  some  consideration?  " 

Nasmyth  looked  disturbed. 

"  It's  unpleasant,  but  I  can't  help  feeling  that 
you're  right.  One  way  or  another,  young  Crestwick 
will  have  to  pay  his  entrance  fees."  He  rose  and 
stretched  himself  lazily.  "  I'll  spoil  my  temper  if  I 
say  any  more  about  it,  and  as  we've  had  a  long  day 
I'm  off  to  bed." 

Lisle  followed  him  from  the  room,  but  he  was  up 
early  the  next  morning  and  strolled  down  to  the  river 
while  the  light  was  creeping  across  the  moors  and  the 
dew  lay  thick  upon  the  grass,  thinking  over  what  he 
had  heard  on  the  previous  night.  It  was  his  nature 
to  be  interested  in  almost  everything  and  he  was 
curious  to  learn  what  he  could  of  the  people  to  whom 
his  father  had  belonged.     In  Canada  he  had,  for  the 


98  THE  LONG  PORTAGE 

most  part,  met  only  men  of  somewhat  primitive  habits 
and  simple  desires,  grappling  with  rock  and  forest, 
or  with  single  purpose  toiling  to  acquire  wealth  in 
the  new  cities.  What  was  more  to  the  purpose,  few 
of  them  were  married.  Now  he  was  thrown  among 
a  people  not  more  intelligent  —  indeed,  he  thought 
they  were  less  endowed  with  practically  useful  knowl- 
edge —  but  in  some  respects  more  complex,  actuated 
by  different  and  less  obvious  ambitions  and  desires. 
He  felt  impelled  to  watch  them,  though  he  recognized 
that,  as  Nasmyth  had  predicted,  this  might  not  be 
all.  It  was  possible  that  sooner  or  later  he  would  be 
drawn  into  action. 

He  reached  the  stream  at  a  spot  where  it  flowed, 
still  and  clear,  beneath  a  birch  wood.  A  few  of  the 
leaves  were  green,  but  most  of  them  gleamed  a  deli- 
cate saffron  among  the  gray  and  silver  stems,  and  the 
ground  beneath  was  flecked  with  yellow.  Behind  the 
trees  rough,  lichened  rock  and  stony  slopes  ran  up  to  a 
bare  ridge,  sifliouetted  against  the  roseate  glow  of  the 
morning  sky.  The  sun  had  not  risen,  the  water  lay 
in  shadow ;  it  was  very  quiet  and  rather  cold,  and 
Lisle  was  surprised  to  see  Millicent  Gladw3me  picking 
her  way  cautiously  over  a  bank  of  stones.  It  was 
only  her  movements  that  betrayed  her,  for  her  neutral- 
tinted  attire  harmonized  with  the  background;  but 
when  she  caught  sight  of  him  she  left  the  foot  of  the 
slope  she  was  skirting  and  came  directly  toward  him. 
He  thought  she  looked  wonderfully  fresh  and  whole- 
some, and  he  noticed  that  she  carried  a  small  camera. 

"  I'm  afraid  you  have  spoiled  my  sport,"  she 
laughed.  "  I  was  after  an  otter  —  though  you 
mustn't  tell  Nasmyth  that  there  is  one  about  here. 


?5 


LISLE  GATHERS  INFORMATION         99 


(( 


Certainly  not,"  acquiesced  Lisle.     "  But  why?  " 

*'  He  would  consider  it  his  duty  to  bring  up  the 
hounds  the  next  meet.  Isn't  it  curious  how  slaughter 
appeals  to  a  man.''  But  Nasmyth  isn't  unreasonable; 
tliere  are  reserves  in  which  even  the  jays  he  longs  to 
shoot  have  sanctuary." 

But  you  were  looking  for  an  otter.''  " 
Yes ;  I  wanted  its  picture,  not  its  life.      I've  got 
several,  but  I'm  not  satisfied;  though  I've  been  lucky 
lately.     I    got   a   dabchick  —  they're   gi'owing    scarce 
—  not  long  ago." 

"  We'll  try  the  next  pool,  if  you'll  let  me  come," 
suggested  Lisle.  "  I'm  prett}'  good  at  trailing.  But 
what  do  you  want  with  their  pictures  ?  " 

"  For  my  book,"  she  told  him.  "  I  have  to  make 
ever  so  many  drawings  in  color  before  I  get  them 
right.  If  you're  fond  of  the  wild  creatures,  I'll  show 
them  to  you." 

Lisle  said  that  he  would  be  delighted,  and  they  went 
on,  keeping  back  among  tall  brushwood  where  they 
skirted  the  swift  stream  at  the  head  of  the  pool,  and 
then  proceeding  cautiously  with  the  outline  of  their 
figures  softened  by  the  heathy  slopes  behind.  At 
length,  creeping  up  through  a  thin  growth  of  alders, 
they  stopped  near  another  still  reach  and  tlie  girl 
pointed  to  a  few  floating  objects  on  its  surface. 

"  You're  good  at  trailing  or  they'd  have  taken 
fright,"  she  said.  "  Still,  I  think  I  will  surprise  you, 
if  you  will  wait  here." 

"  Mallard,"  Lisle  commented.  "  Young  birds  — 
even  where  we  seldom  disturb  them,  they're  shy." 

She  slipped  away  through  the  alders  and  he  noticed 
how  little  noise  she  made,  though  the  lower  branches 


100  THE  LONG  PORTAGE 

here  and  there  brushed  against  her  gliding  form.  She 
was  wonderfully  light  and  graceful  in  her  movements. 
As  she  came  out  into  the  open  there  was  a  startled 
quack  or  two  from  the  birds.  Lisle  expected  to  see 
them  rise  from  the  water,  but  she  called  softly  and,  to 
his  vast  astonishment,  they  ceased  paddling  away 
from  her.  She  called  again  and  they  turned  and  swam 
cautiously  toward  her,  and  when  she  took  a  handful 
of  something  from  a  pocket  and  flung  it  upon  the 
surface  of  the  stream,  three  or  four  heads  were 
stretched  forward  to  seize  the  morsels. 

While  the  birds  drew  nearer  Lisle  looked  on  admir- 
ing. She  had  roused  his  interest  when  he  had  first  seen 
her  in  her  rich  evening  dress,  but  now  he  thought  she 
made  a  far  more  striking  picture,  and  her  sympathy 
with  the  timid  wild  creatures  which  evidently  knew  and 
trusted  her  awakened  something  responsive  in  him. 
Half  the  pool  now  glimmered  in  the  rosy  light,  with 
here  and  there  an  alder  branch  reflected  upon  its  mir- 
ror-like surface,  and  Millicent  stood  on  a  strip  of 
gravel  with  her  figure  clearly  outlined  against  it. 
Dressed  in  closely-fitting,  soft-colored  tweed,  tall  and 
finely  symmetrical,  she  harmonized  with  rock  and  flood 
wonderfully  well.  Lisle  had  occasionally  seen  a  bush 
rancher's  daughter,  armed  with  gun  or  fishing-rod, 
look  very  much  at  home  in  similar  surroundings ;  but 
this  English  lady,  of  culture  and  station,  reared  in 
civilized  luxury,  appeared  equally  in  her  right  place. 

He  afterward  recollected  each  adjunct  of  the  scene 
—  the  stillness,  the  pale  gleam  of  the  water,  and  the 
aromatic  smell  of  fallen  leaves,  but  the  alluring,  cen- 
tral figure  formed  the  sharpest  memory.  By  and  by 
she  clapped  her  hands,  the  ducks  rose  and  flew  away 


LISLE  GATHERS  INFORMATION       101 

up-stream  with  necks  stretched  out,  and  she  came  back 
toward  him,  laughing  softly. 

"  Sometimes  they  will  come  almost  up  to  my  feet ; 
but  I'm  afraid  it's  hardly  fair  to  inspire  them  with  an 
undue  confidence  in  human  nature.  It  might  cost 
them  dear." 

*'  You're  wonderful !  "  Lisle  exclaimed,  expressing 
what  he  felt,  for  she  seemed  to  him  endowed  with  every 
gracious  qualit}'. 

"  Oh,"  she  smiled,  "  there's  nothing  really  remarka- 
ble in  what  I  showed  you.  I  happened  to  find  the 
nest  and  by  slow  degrees  disarmed  the  mother  bird's 
suspicions ;  mallard  have  been  domesticated,  you  know^ 
though  they're  often  hard  to  get  very  near.  But 
we  may  as  well  turn  back ;  it's  now  too  late  to  see  an 
otter.  I'm  inclined  to  think  they're  the  shyest  of  all 
the  British  wild  creatures." 

They  moved  away  down-stream  side  by  side,  and 
some  time  later  she  left  him  where  a  stile-path  crossed 
a  meadow. 

*'  Come  and  see  my  drawings  whenever  you  like," 
she  said  on  parting. 

Lisle  determined  to  go  as  soon  as  possible.  Quite 
apart  from  the  drawings,  the  idea  of  going  had  its 
attractions  for  him,  and  he  walked  homeward  deter- 
mined that  this  girl  should  never  marry  Clarence  Glad- 
wyne.  It  was  unthinkable  —  that  was  the  only  word 
for  it. 


CHAPTER  X 
Bella's  champion 

T  was  early  in  the  afternoon  when  Lisle  arrived 
at  Millicent's  house  and,  after  a  glance  at  its 
quaint  exterior,  was  ushered  into  her  drawing- 
room.  There  he  sat  down  and  looked  about  while  he 
waited.  The  salient  tones  of  its  decoration  were  white 
and  aqueous  blue,  and  the  effect  struck  him  as  pleas- 
antly chaste  and  cool.  Among  the  rather  mixed  orna- 
ments were  a  couple  of  marble  statuettes,  the  figures 
airily  poised  and  very  finely  wrought.  Next,  he 
noticed  some  daintily  carved  objects  in  ivory,  and  a 
picture  in  water-color  of  a  wide,  gray  stretch  of  moor 
with  distance  and  solitude  skilfully  conveyed.  He  had 
risen  to  examine  it  when  Millicent  entered. 

"  I'm  glad  you  came,  though,  as  you're  used  to  the 
life  of  the  woods  and  rivers,  I'm  a  little  diffident  about 
showing  you  my  sketches,"  she  said.  "  I'm  afraid  I've 
kept  you  waiting." 

Lisle  smiled  and  she  liked  the  candidly  humorous 
gleam  in  his  eyes. 

"  Nasmyth  warned  me  that  I  was  early  —  or  rather 
he  said  that  if  I  were  going  to  visit  anybody  else  I 
would  have  been  too  soon.  I'd  better  confess,  how- 
ever, that  I've  been  making  a  good  use  of  the  time. 
Things  of  this  kind  " —  he  indicated  the  statuettes  — 
"  are  almost  new  to  me.  They  strike  me  as  unusually 
fine." 

102 


BELLA'S  CHAMPION  103 

"  Yes,"  she  answered,  realizing  that  he  had  an  artis- 
tic eye,  "  they  arc  beautiful  —  and  one  sees  so  many 
that  are  not.  George  brought  them  from  Italy  for 
me.  This  " —  she  moved  toward  a  representation  in 
ivory  of  a  Mogul  gateway  — "  is  of  course  a  different 
style,  but  it's  remarkable  in  its  patient  elaboration  of 
detail.  The  mosque's  not  so  fine.  Nasmyth  sent  me 
the  pair  from  India ;  he  once  made  a  trip  to  the  fringe 
of  the  Himalayas." 

Lisle  examined  the  object  carefully,  and  she  waited 
with  some  interest  for  his  comment. 

"  It's  wonderful,"  he  declared.  "  I  suppose  it's  a 
truthful  copy  ?  " 

"  I'm  inclined  to  think  the  man  who  carved  that  had 
not  the  gift  of  imagination.  He  merely  reproduced 
faithfully  what  he  saw." 

"  Different  peoples  have  strikingly  different  ways, 
haven't  they.?"  commented  Lisle.  "While  they  were 
making  that  small  Eastern  arch,  we'd  fling  up  a 
thriving  wooden  town  or  build  a  hotel  of  steel  and 
cement  to  hold  a  thousand  guests.  The  biggest 
bridges  that  carr}^  our  great  freight-trains  across  the 
roaring  gorges  in  the  Rockies  cost  less  labor.'* 

"  I  should  imagine  it.     What  then.?  " 

He  studied  the  carved  ivory. 

"  In  a  dry  climate  the  orginal  of  this  would  last 
for  centuries  —  it  has  lasted  since  the  days  of  the 
Moguls  —  an  object  of  beauty  for  generations  to 
enjoy.  Perhaps  those  old  builders  used  their  time  as 
well  as  we  do.  Our  works  serve  their  purpose,  but 
one  can't  call  them  pretty." 

She  was  pleased  with  his  answer. 

"  I  think  that  gets  the  strongest  hold  on  mc,"  he 


104<  THE  LONG  PORTAGE 

went  on,  glancing  toward  the  picture  of  the  moor; 
"  it's  reaJ  !  " 

There  was  a  hint  of  diffidence  in  MilHccnt's  expres- 
sion. 

"But  you  can  hardly  judge,  can  you?  You  have 
scarcely  seen  the  English  moors." 

"  I've  spent  a  while  on  the  high  Albertan  plains, 
and  3'ou  have  the  same  things  yonder;  the  vast  sweep 
of  sky,  the  rolling  waste  running  on  forever.  It's  all 
in  that  picture ;  how  expressed,  I  don't  know  —  there 
are  only  the  grades  of  color,  scarcely  a  line  to  gage 
the  distance  by.      Still,  the  sense  of  space  is  vivid." 

Milhcent  blushed. 

*'  You're  an  indulgent  critic ;  that  drawing  is  my 
own." 

He  did  not  appear  embarrassed,  though  she  saw 
that  he  had  not  suspected  the  fact.  She  had  already 
noticed  that  when  he  might,  perhaps,  have  looked 
awkward  he  only  looked  serious. 

"  After  what  you  have  said,"  she  resumed,  "  I'll 
show  you  the  other  things  with  greater  confidence. 
Do  you  know,  I  thought  all  you  Western  people  were 
grimly  utilitarian .''  " 

He  sat  down  and  considered  this.  The  man  could 
laugh  readily,  but  he  was  also  characterized  by  a  cer- 
tain gravity,  which  she  found  refreshing  by  contrast 
with  the  light  glibness  to  which  she  was  more  accus- 
tomed. 

"  Well,"  he  reasoned,  "  in  my  opinion,  the  white 
man's  greatest  superiority  over  all  other  peoples  is  his 
capacity  for  making  useful  things  —  even  if  they're 
only  ugly  sawmills  or  grimy  locomotives.  Philosophy 
never  fed  any  one  or  lightened  anybody's  toil;  com- 


BELLA'S  CHAMPION  105 

merce  is  a  convenience,  but  the  man  who  makes  a  big 
profit  out  of  it  is  only  levying  a  heavy  toll  on  some- 
body else.  It  seems  to  me  that  all  our  actual  benefits 
come  from  the  constructor." 

"Have  you  been  building  sawmills?"  Millicent 
asked  mischievously. 

He  laughed  with  open  good-humor.  "  Oh,  no ; 
that's  why  I'm  free  to  talk.  I  happened  to  find  a 
lode  with  some  gold  in  it,  and  gold  is  only  a  handy 
means  of  exchanging  things.  I'll  own  that  I  was 
probably  doing  more  useful  work  when  I  stood  up  to 
my  waist  in  ice-water,  fitting  sharp  stones  into  a  pulp- 
mill  dam." 

"  Perhaps  you're  right,"  IVIillicent  agreed,  "  but  it 
sounds  severe.  What  of  the  people  who  never  do 
anything  directly  useful  at  all?  " 

*'  There  are  a  few  who,  by  just  going  up  and  down 
in  it,  keep  the  world  sweet  and  clean.  Some  of  the 
rest  could  very  well  be  spared." 

*'  Then  you  believe  that  everybody  must  practically 
justify  his  existence?  " 

"  If  he  fails  to  do  so  with  us,  his  existence  generally 
ceases.  The  wilderness  where  I  found  the  gold  is  full 
of  the  bones  of  the  unfit." 

Millicent  spread  out  some  drawings.  Most  were  in 
color,  in  some  cases  several  of  the  same  object,  done 
with  patient  care,  and  she  was  strangely  pleased  when 
she  saw  the  quick  appreciation  in  his  eyes. 

"  An  otier ;  it's  alive,"  he  remarked.  "  You've 
shown  it  working  through  a  shallow,  looking  much 
less  like  an  animal  than  a  fish  —  that's  right." 

"  I  made  half  a  dozen  sketches,  and  I'm  not  satis- 
fied yet." 


106  THE  LONG  PORTAGE 

*'  Thorough,"  he  commented.  "  You  get  there,  if 
YOU  have  to  hammer  the  heart  out  of  whatever  you're 
up  against." 

"  It's  my  brother's  book,"  she  answered.  "  I'm  fin- 
ishing it  for  him.  He  did  other  things  —  most  of 
them  useful,  indirectly.  I've  only  this  —  and  I'd 
like  my  part  to  be  good." 

He  nodded  sympathetically,  looking  troubled. 

*'  I  can  understand,"  he  said.  "  I  had  a  partner 
—  I  owe  him  more  than  I  could  ever  have  repaid,  and 
he  left  a  troublesome  piece  of  work  to  me.  It  will 
have  to  be  put  through.  But  let  me  see  some  more; 
they're  great." 

She  showed  him  a  red  ja}-;  a  tiny  gold-crest  perched 
on  a  thorn  branch;  a  kingfisher  gleaming  with  tur- 
quoise hues,  poised  ready  for  a  dive  upon  a  froth- 
lapped  stone.  He  Avas  no  cultured  critic,  but  he  knew 
the  ways  of  the  wild  creatures  and  saw  that  she  had 
talent,  for  her  representations  of  them  were  instinct 
with  life. 

The3^  Avere  interrupted  by  a  scratching  at  the  door 
and  when  she  opened  it  a  white  setter  hobbled  aAvk- 
wardly  in  and  curled  itself  at  her  feet. 

"  He's  rather  a  big  dog  for  the  house,  but  I  can't 
keep  him  away  from  me,"  she  explained.  "  As  you 
see,  he  has  lost  a  foot,  in  a  trap,  and  he  was  marked 
for  destruction  Avhen  I  asked  for  him.  Sometimes  I 
think  he  knows  that  I  saved  his  life." 

The  dog  looked  up  and  raising  a  paw  scraped  at 
her  hand,  until  she  opened  it,  Avhen  he  thrust  his 
chin  into  her  palm.  It  Avas  a  trivial  incident,  but  it 
somehow  stirred  the  man. 

"  Now  I  know  where  you  got  power  to  draw  these 


BELLA'S  CHAMPION  107 


lesser  brethren,"  he  said.  "  Study  alone  would  never 
have  given  it  to  you." 

She  let  this  pass.  He  was  almost  embarrassing  in 
his  directness,  though  she  acquitted  him  of  any  crude 
intention  of  flattering  her. 

"  I  promised  to  let  you  read  my  brother's  diary," 
she  reminded  him.  "  If  you  will  wait  a  few  moments, 
I'll  get  it." 

The  dog  pattered  after  her,  as  though  unwilling  to 
remain  out  of  her  sight,  and  she  came  back  presently 
with  a  small  leather  case  and  opening  it  took  out  a 
tattered  notebook.  Noticing  how  she  handled  it  and 
that  the  case  was  beautifully  made.  Lisle  fancied  that 
it  was  precious  to  her,  in  which  he  was  correct.  In- 
deed, she  was  then  wondering  why  she  had  volunteered 
to  show  it  to  this  stranger  when  only  two  of  her  inti- 
mate friends  had  seen  it. 

"  Thank  you,"  he  said,  when  she  gave  It  to  him ; 
and  drawing  his  chair  nearer  the  window  he  began  to 
read. 

Though  he  was  already  acquainted  with  most  of  it, 
the  story  gripped  him.  On  the  surface,  it  was  merely 
a  plain  record  of  a  hazardous  and  laborious  journey; 
but  to  one  gifted  with  understanding  it  was  more 
than  this  —  a  vivid  narrative  of  a  struggle  waged 
against  physical  suffering,  weakness,  and  hunger,  by 
optimistic  human  nature.  An  odd  word  here,  a  line 
or  two  in  another  place,  was  eloquent  of  simple,  stead- 
fast courage  and  endurance ;  and  even  when  the  weak- 
ening man  clearly  knew  that  his  end  was  near  there 
was  no  outbreak  of  desperation  or  sign  of  faltering. 
He  had  dragged  himself  onward  to  the  last,  indomita- 
ble. 


108  THE  LONG  PORTAGE 

Then  Lisle  proceeded  to  examine  the  book  more 
closely.  It  showed  the  effects  of  exposure  to  the 
weather  to  an  unusual  degree,  considering  that  the 
covers  were  thick  and  that  the  rescue  party  had  re- 
covered It  shortly  after  its  owner's  death.  Moreover, 
Lisle  did  not  think  that  George  Gladwyne  would  have 
left  it  in  the  snow.  Several  pages  were  missing,  and 
having  been  over  the  ground,  he  knew  that  they  re- 
corded the  part  of  the  journey  during  which  the  two 
caches  of  provisions  had  been  made,  and  he  had 
already  decided  that  there  would  be  a  list  of  their  con- 
tents. This  conclusion  was  confirmed  by  the  fact  that 
Gladwyne  had  enumerated  the  stores  they  started  with, 
and  had  once  or  twice  made  a  reduced  list  when  they 
had  afterward  taken  stock.  The  abstraction  of  the 
records  was  clearly  Clarence's  work.  Then  he  realized 
that  he  had  spent  some  time  in  perusing  the  diar}"^  and 
he  handed  it  back  to  Millicent  with  something  that  im- 
plied a  respect  for  it.  She  noticed  the  sparkle  in  his 
e3'es  and  her  heart  warmed  toward  him. 

"  It's  the  greatest  story  I've  ever  read,"  he  declared. 

She  made  no  answer,  but  he  knew  that  she  was 
pleased  and  it  filled  him  with  a  wish  to  tell  her  that 
she  was  very  much  like  her  dead  brother.  More  he 
could  not  have  said,  but  remembering  that  he  had 
already  gone  as  far  as  was  permissible  he  had  sense 
enough  to  repress  the  inclination.  He  saw  the  girl's 
lips  close  firmly,  as  if  she  were  conscious  of  some  emo- 
tion, but  there  was  silence  for  a  minute  or  two.  He 
broke  it  at  length. 

"  I  know  that  you  have  granted  me  a  very  great 
privilege,  and  I'm  grateful,"  he  told  her,  and  added, 
because  he  thought  a  partial  change  of  the  subject 


BELLA'S  CHAMPION  109 

might  be  considerate:  "  In  a  way,  it's  hard  to  realize 
that  tale  in  this  restful  place.  It's  easier  out  yonder, 
where  what  you  could  call  the  general  tone  is  dif- 
ferent." 

"  Nasmyth  once  said  something  like  that,"  INIilli- 
cent  replied.     "  I  suppose  the  change  is  marked." 

Lisle  nodded. 

"  Here  you  have  order,  peace,  security.  In  the 
wilds,  it's  all  battle,  the  survival  of  the  strong;  frost 
and  ice  rending  the  solid  hills,  rivers  scoring  out  deep 
ravines,  beast  destroying  beast,  or  struggling  with 
starvation.  Man's  not  exempt  either;  a  small  blunder 
—  a  deer  missed  or  a  flour  bag  lost  —  may  cost  him 
his  life.  For  the  difference  you  have  to  thank  the 
constructor,  the  maker  of  plows  and  spades  and  more 
complex  machines." 

"  That's  one  of  your  pet  hobbies,  isn't  it.''  " 

He  once  more  changed  the  subject. 

"  I  wish  that  I  could  show  you  the  wilderness,"  he 
said. 

Millicent  looked  thoughtful. 

"  I  should  like  to  see  it.  I've  an  idea  that  if  this 
book  is  well  received  I  might,  perhaps,  try  something 
a  little  more  ambitious  —  the  larger  beasts  and  wilder 
birds  of  other  countries.  In  that  case,  I  should  choose 
British  Columbia." 

"  Then  you  will  let  me  be  your  guide .''  " 

She  made  a  conditional  promise,  and  shortly  after- 
ward he  left  her.  ]\Ieeting  Nasmyth  he  walked  with 
him  toward  Gladwyne's  house,  where  they  found  the 
guests  assembled  on  the  lawn  and  Mrs.  Gladwyne 
sitting  by  a  tea-table.  One  or  two  young  women  were 
standing  near  and  several  men  had  gathered  about  a 


110  THE  LONG  PORTAGE 

mat  laid  upon  the  grass  fifty  yards  from  where  a 
small  target  had  been  set  up.  Lisle  joined  Bella 
Crestwick,  -who  detached  herself  from  the  others. 

"What  is  this?"  he  asked.  "It's  a  very  short 
range," 

"  Miniature  rifle  shooting,"  she  informed  him. 
"  It's  becoming  popular.  Gladwyne  has  been  trying 
to  form  a  club.  My  brother  Jim  is  president  of  some 
league.  He's  rather  keen  and  there  are  reasons  why 
I'm  glad  of  it." 

She  added  the  last  words  confidentially  and  Lisle 
ventured  to  nod.  It  struck  him  that  a  healthy  inter- 
est in  any  organized  work  or  amusement  would  be  bene- 
ficial to  young  Crestwick.  The  girl  looked  at  him, 
as  if  considering  something;  and  then  she  seemed  to 
make  up  her  mind. 

"  There's  one  thing  I  don't  like,"  she  complained. 
"  Thej'  will  shoot  for  high  stakes.  Jim  isn't  a  bad 
shot,  but  he's  too  eager.  I'm  afraid  he's  inclined  to 
be  venturesome  just  now." 

Lisle  thought  that  she  had  a  request  to  make. 
There  was  something  about  him  that  inspired  confi- 
dence, and  the  girl  had  made  a  friend  of  him. 

"  What  do  you  want  me  to  do  ?  "  he  asked. 

She  made  a  sign  of  impatience ;  he  was  too  direct. 
"  Oh,"  she  pouted,  "  aren't  you  taking  a  good  deal  for 
granted.^     Still,  you  bushmen  can  shoot,  can't  you?" 

"  As  a  rule,"   Lisle  answered.     "  I  almost  think  I 


see." 


"  Then,"  she  retorted,  "  you  shouldn't  have  said  so ; 
you  should  merely  have  smiled  and  acted." 

"  I'm  from  the  wilds ;  you  mustn't  expect  too  much. 
Well,  if  you'll  excuse  me." 


BELLAS  CHA.AIPION  111 

She  flashed  a  grateful  glance  at  him,  and  he  saun- 
tered toward  the  group  of  men,  among  whom  Glad- 
wyne  stood.  There  was  a  shai^p  crack  as  he 
approached  them,  a  thin  streak  of  smoke  drifted  across 
the  figure  l3'ing  on  the  mat,  and  a  man  beside  it  low- 
ered the  glasses  he  held. 

"  High  to  the  left,"  he  announced.  "  You're  not  in 
good  form,  Jim.     Hadn't  jou  better  give  up?  " 

Lisle  studied  the  speaker,  whom  he  had  met  once  or 
twice  already.  He  was  approaching  middle-age  and 
was  inclined  to  corpulence,  but  there  was  something  in 
his  pose  that  suggested  a  military  training.  His  face 
was  fleshy,  but  the  features  were  bold  and  he  was 
coarsely  handsome.  As  a  rule,  he  aff^ected  an  easy 
good-humor,  but  Lisle  had  felt  that  there  was  some- 
thing about  him  Avhich  he  could  best  describe  as  preda- 
tory. He  occasionally  spoke  of  business  ties,  so  he 
had  an  occupation,  but  he  had  not  in  Lisle's  hearing 
mentioned  what  it  was. 

Crestwick's  face  was  hot  as  he  answered  his  re- 
mark. 

"  Not  at  all,  Batley.  The  trouble  is  that  I'm  used 
to  the  Roberts  target,  and  the  spots  on  the  card  are 
puzzling  after  the  rings.     I'll  get  into  it  presently." 

"  Oh,  well,"  acquiesced  the  other.  "  As  j^ou  didn't 
fix  a  time  limit,  we'll  go  on  again,  though  it's  getting 
tame  and  I  want  some  tea." 

"  I'll  ijicrease  the  interest  again,  if  j-ou  like,"  the 
lad  replied. 

Lisle  joined  the  group. 

"  What's  it  aU  about.?  "  he  asked. 

"  Batley's  a  pretty  good  rifle  shot,  but  if  he  won't 
mind  my  saying  so  he's  a  little  opinionated,"  Glad- 


112  THE  LONG  PORTAGE 

wyne  explained.  "  Crestwick  questioned  an  idea  of 
his,  and  the  end  of  it  was  that  Batley  offered  to  prove 
his  point  —  that  a  stiff  pull-off  is  as  good  as  a  light 
one  in  practised  hands  —  by  backing  himself  to  beat 
the  field.  Crestwick  took  him  up,  and  since  the  rest 
of  us  were  obviously  out  of  it,  the  thing  has  resolved 
itself  into  a  match  between  the  two.  Crestwick  is 
using  an  easy-triggered  rifle ;  Batley's  has  an  unusu- 
ally hard  spring." 

Lisle  considered.  Remembering  Bella's  remarks,  he 
thought  it  would  be  easy  to  lure  the  lad  into  a  rash 
bet.  He  was  headstrong  and  his  manners  might  have 
been  more  conciliator}'^,  but  Lisle,  learning  the 
amount  of  the  stakes,  decided  that  his  host  should  not 
have  let  the  thing  go  so  far. 

"  Crestwick  doubled  several  times ;  he's  stubborn  and 
doesn't  hke  to  be  beaten,"  Gladwyne  resumed.  "  I 
had  the  same  ideas  when  I  was  as  young  as  he  is." 

"  I've  offered  to  let  him  off,"  Batley  broke  in.  "  I'd 
do  so  now  only  he's  kept  me  shooting  for  the  last  half- 
hour.  As  Gladwyne  says,  he's  obstinate,  and  it's  a 
pity  that  he's  wrong.  If  he'd  trained  his  wrist-tendons 
by  using  a  harder  trigger,  he'd  have  made  a  passably 
good  shot." 

Lisle  was  aware  that  while  there  was  something  to 
be  said  for  Batley's  view,  Crestwick  was  justified  in 
contending  that  the  lighter  tension  was  more  adapted 
to  the  case  of  the  average  person ;  but  he  recognized 
that  the  indulgent  manner  of  the  older  men  was  cal- 
culated, he  thought  intentionally,  to  exasperate  the 
hot-headed  lad. 

"  Well,"  he  observed,  addressing  Batley,  "  you  have 
the  courage  of  your  convictions  if  you  have  oflPered  to 


BELLA'S  CHAMPION  113 

maintain  them  against  all  comers,  which  I  understand 
is  what  you  have  done." 

The  man  nodded  carelessly  and  Lisle  went  on : 

"  After  all,  since  I  dare  say  these  gentlemen  are 
more  used  to  the  shotgun,  your  superiority  doesn't 
prove  very  much." 

Crestwick  looked  around  at  him  quickl}'. 

"  Most  of  you  Colonials  can  use  the  rifle ;  do  you 
feel  inclined  to  take  him  on.''  You're  a  dark  horse, 
but  I'll  double  the  stakes  if  he'll  throw  you  in." 

This  was  what  Lisle  wanted,  but  he  turned  to  the 
others. 

"  I've  never  had  a  small  rifle  in  my  hands  —  we  use 
the  44—70,  and  I  must  leave  you  to  decide  whether 
my  shooting  Avould  be  fair  to  Mr.  Batley.  In  that 
case,  I'll  put  up  half  the  stakes." 

The  men  said  there  was  no  reason  why  he  should 
not  join,  and  Batley  made  no  protest,  though  Lisle 
fancied  that  he  was  not  pleased.  Lying  down  on  the 
mat,  he  took  the  light-springed  rifle  and  the  six  car- 
tridges handed  him  and  fixed  his  e3'es  on  the  target, 
which  was  a  playing-card  pinned  to  a  thick  plank. 
He  got  the  first  shot  off  before  he  was  quite  ready  — 
the  light  pull  was  new  to  him  —  and  somebody  called 
that  he  had  touched  the  left  top  comer.  The  next 
shot  was  down  at  the  bottom,  and  the  four  following 
marks  were  scattered  about  the  card.  "When  he  got 
up,  Batley  looked  reassured  and  proceeded  to  make 
a  neat  pattern  around  the  center  of  another  card. 
There  was  no  doubt  that  Crestwick  was  anxious,  and 
when  he  took  his  turn  he  shot  badly.  In  the  mean- 
while, the  rest  of  the  party  on  the  lawn  had  gradually 
gathered   round;   the   eager   attitude   of   the   original 


114  THE  LONG  PORTAGE 

spectators  hinted  that  something  out  of  the  usual 
course  was  going  on. 

Lisle  was  very  cool  when  he  lay  down  again.  A 
swift,  encouraging  glance  from  Bella  Crestwick  made 
him  determined,  and  during  his  previous  six  shots  he 
had,  he  thought,  learned  the  right  tension  on  the 
trigger. 

"  Wipe  it  out  for  me,  somebody,"  he  said,  holding 
up  the  rifle. 

Bella  seized  it  and  deftly  used  the  rod,  regardless 
of  soiled  fingers. 

"  May  it  bring  you  luck,"  she  wished,  with  a  defiant 
glance  at  Batley,  who  smiled  at  her  as  she  returned  the 
weapon. 

Then  there  was  a  hush  of  expectancy.  Lisle  took 
his  time ;  a  sharp  crack,  a  streak  of  smoke,  and  Glad- 
wyne  raising  his  glasses,  laughed. 

"  High !  "  he  called.     "  Top  spot !  " 

It  was  a  three  of  hearts,  and  Gladwyne's  smile  lin- 
gered for  a  moment  after  Lisle  fired  again. 

"  Bottom  now ;  you're  low  1 "  he  cried,  and  then  his 
expression  slightly  changed.  Both  spots  were  drilled 
out  —  this  did  not  look  altogether  like  an  accident. 

"  Center !  "  he  announced  after  another  shot,  and  all 
the  faces  surrounding  him  became  intent.  The  three 
hearts  were  neatly  punched. 

"  A  fresh  card ! "  exclaimed  Crestwick,  looking 
around  at  Batley  with  an  exultant  sparkle  in  his  eyes. 
"  You  ofiPered  to  let  me  off.  Shall  I  return  the  com- 
pliment.'' " 

The  man  laughed  carelessly,  though  Lisle  thought 
it  cost  him  an  effort. 

"  No,"  he  retorted;  "  I  can't  show  myself  less  of  a 


BELLA'S  CHAJNIPION  115 

sportsman  than  you  are;  but  I  think  I've  the  option 
of  demanding  a  longer  range.  Move  the  mat  back 
twenty-five  yards  and  put  up  an  ace  of  spades ;  it's 
the  plainest.  Three  shots  each  should  suffice  at  the 
distance." 

Crestwick  got  down  and  thrice  touched  the  outside 
of  the  card;  Batley  did  better,  for  two  shots  broke 
the  edge  of  the  black  and  one  was  close  above  them. 
It  was  good  shooting  at  so  small  a  mark,  and  Lisle 
was  a  little  anxious  as  he  very  deliberately  stretched 
himself  out  on  tlie  mat.  Having  little  of  the  gam- 
bler's instinct  in  his  nature,  he  was  reluctant  to  lose 
the  money  at  stake,  but  he  was  more  unwilling  to  let 
Batley  fleece  the  lad  whom,  as  he  recognized  now,  he 
had  been  asked  to  aid.  He  meant  to  do  so,  if  the 
thing  were  possible,  and  twice  he  paused  and  relaxed 
his  grip  Avhen  his  sight  grew  slightly  blurred. 

Tlien  there  was  a  sharp  crack,  and  he  smiled  when 
he  heard  Gladwyne's  report. 

"  I  can't  see  it.      These  ai'e  only  opera-glasses." 

Dead  silence  followed  the  next  shot,  which  left  no 
visible  mark  on  the  target;  and  Lisle  did  not  look 
around  as  he  thrust  his  last  cartridge  into  the  rifle. 
He  let  it  lie  beside  him  for  half  a  minute  while  he 
opened  and  shut  his  right  hand,  and  then,  taking  it 
up  quickly,  fired.  Still  there  was  no  blur  on  the  white 
surface  of  the  card  and  Gladwyne  shai-pl}'  shut  his 
glasses,  while  two  of  the  onlookers  ran  toward  the 
target.  They  came  back  in  silence  and  one  signifi- 
cantly held  up  the  ace.  There  were  three  small  holes 
in  the  black  center. 

Gladwyne  had  turned  away  when  Lisle  got  up,  but 
Batley  concealed  his  feelings  very  well. 


116  THE  LONG  PORTAGE 

"  Excellent !  "  he  exclaimed.  "  As  I  can't  beat  that, 
the  only  thing  left  me  is  to  pay  up." 

Lisle  turned  to  Crestwick,  who  looked  hot  and  ex- 
cited. 

"  You  made  the  bet,"  he  said.  "  Will  you  use  my 
half  in  buying  a  competition  cup  for  one  of  your 
clubs.?" 

He  saw  Batley's  smile  and  a  somewhat  curious  look 
in  Gladwyne's  face,  but  the  group  broke  up  and  he 
strolled  back  across  the  lawn  with  Bella. 

"  I'm  grateful,"  she  said  softly.  "  I  was  a  little 
afraid  at  first  that  I  was  asking  too  much  of  you." 

Lisle  met  her  glance  with  a  good  assumption  of  sur- 
prise. 

"  Grateful?  Because  I  indulged  in  a  rather  en- 
j 03' able  match?  " 

She  laughed. 

**  You  learn  rapidly.  But  I'd  better  say  in  excuse 
that  I  didn't  think  I'd  involved  you  in  a  very  serious 
risk.  He  hasn't  your  eyes  and  hands  —  one  couldn't 
expect  it.  You  don't  need  pick-me-ups  in  the  morn- 
ing, do  you  ?  " 

Lisle  was  slightly  embarrassed.  This  girl's  knowl- 
edge of  life  was  too  extensive,  and  he  would  have 
preferred  that  she  should  exhibit  it  to  somebody  else. 

"  Well,"  she  concluded  as  they  approached  the  tea- 
table,  "  my  thanks  are  yours,  even  if  you  don't  value 
them." 

"  What  do  you  expect  me  to  say  ?  "  he  asked,  re- 
garding her  with  some  amusement  and  appreciation. 
She  was  alluringly  pretty  in  her  rather  elaborate  light 
dress. 

"  Yes,"  she  smiled  mockingly,  disregarding  his  ques- 


BELLA'S  CHAMPION  117 

tion ;  "  these  things  become  me  better  than  the  tweeds, 
don't  they?  Tliey  make  one  look  nice  and  soft  and 
fluffy ;  but  that's  deceptive.  You  see,  I  can  scratch ; 
in  fact,  I  felt  I  could  have  scratched  Bat  ley  badly  if 
I'd  got  the  chance.  There's  another  hint  for  you  — 
make  what  you  like  of  it." 

Then  with  a  laugh  she  swung  round  and  left  him, 
puzzled. 


CHAPTER  XI 

CEESTWICK    GIVES    TROUBLE 

THE  little  room  in  Marple's  house,  where  the 
Crestwicks  were  staying,  was  hot  and  partly 
filled  with  cigar  smoke  which  drifted  in  filmy 
streaks  athwart  the  light  of  the  green-shaded  hanging- 
lamp.  Lisle  sat  beneath  the  lamp,  studying  the  cards 
in  his  hand,  until  he  leaned  back  in  his  chair  and  flung 
a  glance  about  the  table.  There  were  no  counters  on 
it,  but  Gladw^^ne  had  just  noted  something  in  a  little 
book  and  was  waiting  with  a  languid  smile  upon  his 
handsome  face.  Next  to  him  sat  Batley,  looking 
thoughtful;  and  Crestwick  sat  opposite  Lisle,  eager 
and  unhealthily  flushed.  His  forehead  shoAved  damp 
in  the  lamplight  and  there  was  an  unpleasant  glitter 
in  his  eyes.  It  was  close  on  to  midnight  and  luck 
had  gone  hard  against  him  during  the  past  hour,  half 
of  which  Lisle  had  spent  in  his  company.  This  had 
cost  Lisle  more  money  than  he  was  willing  to  part  with. 

"  It's  getting  late,"  he  said  with  a  yawn.  "  After 
this  hand,  I'll  drop  out;  I  dare  say  one  of  the  other 
two  will  take  my  place.  Crestwick,  I  believe  your 
sister  and  Miss  Leslie  will  be  waiting.  You're  going 
with  them,  aren't  you?  " 

The  lad,  turning  in  his  chair,  reached  toward  a 
near-by  table  on  which  there  were  bottles  and  siphons, 
fl.nd  took  a  glass  from  it.     He  had  been  invited  to  join 

118 


CREST  WICK  GIVES  TROUBLE  119 

a  shooting  party  at  a  house  in  the  neighborhood  and 
was  to  spend  the  night  tliere. 

"  Oh !  "  he  exclaimed  with  some  irritation ;  "  Bella's 
always  in  such  an  unreasonable  hurry.  The  others 
can't  be  going  3'et.  I  think  I  hear  Flo  Marple  sing- 
ing." 

A  voice  from  somewhere  below  reached  them 
through  the  open  door.  It  was  a  good  voice,  but  the 
words  were  a  silly  jingle  and  the  humor  in  them  could 
not  be  considered  delicate.  Lisle,  glancing  at  Glad- 
wyne,  noticed  his  slight  frown,  but  one  of  the  two 
young  men  lounging  by  the  second  table  Avatching  the 
game  hummed  the  refrain  with  an  appreciative  smile 
upon  his  heavy  and  somewhat  fatuous  face. 

"  The3''ll  take  half  an  hour  to  get  ready,"  declared 
Batley.      "  Better  play  out  this  round,  anA'how." 

They  laid  down  their  cards  in  turn  and  then  Crest- 
wick  noisily  thrust  his  chair  back. 

"  Another  knock-out !  "  he  exclaimed  savagely.  "  I 
don't  like  to  get  up  so  far  behind.  Shall  we  double 
on  another  deal?  " 

*'  As  3'ou  like,"  returned  Batley.  "  You're  plucky, 
considering  the  cards  j'ou've  had;  but  if  Fortune's 
fickle,  she's  supposed  to  favor  a  determined  suitor." 

It  was  innocent  enough,  but  Lisle  fancied  that  there 
was  sufficient  flattery  in  the  speech  to  incite  the  head- 
strong lad,  who  had  now  emptied  the  glass  at  his 
hand.  He  remembered  that  on  another  occasion  when 
there  had  been  a  good  deal  at  stake,  Batley  had  played 
on  Crestwick's  feelings,  though  in  a  slightly  diff^er- 
ent  manner.  Whether  or  not  the  young  man  lost 
more  than  he  could  afford  was,  in  one  way,  no  concern 
of  Lisle's,   and  he  did  not   find  him   in   the  least   at- 


120  THE  LONG  PORTAGE 

tractive;  but  half  an  hour  previously  Bella  had  met 
him  in  the  hall  and  had  hinted,  with  a  troubled  look, 
that  she  would  appreciate  it  if  he  could  get  her 
brother  away.  It  was  this  that  accounted  for  the 
Canadian's  presence  in  the  card-room. 

"  I'm  going,  anyway,"  he  said,  taking  out  some 
notes  and  gold  and  laying  them  down.  "  There  has 
been  a  smart  shower  and  you  had  better  remember 
that  Miss  Leslie  walked  over  —  the  roads  will  be  wet. 
As  you  know,  I  promised  to  take  the  girls  back  in 
Nasmyth's  trap,  and  he  won't  thank  me  if  I  keep  his 
groom  up." 

Crestwick  grumbled  and  hesitated,  and  he  grew 
rather  red  in  face  as  he  turned  to  Batley. 

*'  I've  only  these  two  notes,"  he  explained.  "  Ex- 
pected all  along  I'd  pull  up  even.  Will  you  arrange 
things.'^     See  you  about  it  when  I  come  back." 

Batley  nodded  carelessly,  and  the  lad  stood  up,  look- 
ing irresolutely  at  the  table. 

"  Fact  is,"  he  went  on,  "  I'd  like  to  get  straight 
before  I  go.  I'm  in  pretty  heavy  for  one  night ;  an- 
other round  might  do  something  to  set  me  straight." 

"  Gladvvyne  and  I  are  quite  willing  to  give  you 
your  chance,"  was  Batley's  quick  reply ;  but  Lisle  un- 
ceremoniously laid  his  hand  on  Crestwick's  shoulder. 

*'  Come  along,"  he  urged,  laughing.  "  Luck's 
against  you ;  you've  had  quite  enough." 

He  had  the  lad  out  of  the  door  in  another  moment, 
and  looking  back  from  the  landing  he  saw  a  curious 
look  in  Gladwyne's  face  which  he  thought  was  one  of 
disgust.  Batley,  however,  was  frowning  openly ;  and 
the  two  men's  expressions  had  a  meaning  for  him.  He 
was   inchned   to    wonder   whether   he   had   used    force 


CRESTWICK  GIVES  TROUBLE  121 

too  ostensibly  In  ejecting  the  lad;  but,  after  all,  that 
did  not  very  much  matter  —  his  excuse  was  good 
enough.  As  they  went  down  the  stairs,  Crcstwick 
turned  to  him,  hot  and  angry. 

"  It  strikes  me  you're  pretty  officious !  Never  saw 
you  until  two  or  three  weeks  ago,"  he  muttered. 
"  Not  accustomed  to  being  treated  in  that  offliand  man- 
ner.    It's  Colonial,  I  suppose!" 

"  Sorry,"  Lisle  apologized  with  a  smile.  "  I've  an 
idea  that  you'll  be  grateful  when  3'^ou  cool  off.  You've 
been  going  it  pretty  strong  to-night." 

"  That's  true,"  agreed  the  other  with  a  show  of 
pride.     "  Kept  on  raising  them  ;  made  things  lively  !  " 

"  Found  it  expensive,  didn't  you.?  "  Lisle  suggested; 
and  as  they  reached  the  foot  of  the  stairs  he  led  his 
companion  toward  the  door.  "  Suppose  we  take  a  turn 
along  the  terrace  before  we  look  for  your  sister." 

Crcstwick  went  with  him,  but  presently  he  stopped 
and  leaned  on  the  low  wall. 

"  Do  you  ever  feel  inclined  for  a  flutter  on  the 
stock-market.?"  he  inquired.  "There's  a  thing  Bat- 
ley  put  me  on  to  —  there'll  be  developments  in  a  month 
or  two ;  it's  going  to  a  big  premium.  Let  you  have  a 
hundred  shares  at  par.  Rather  in  a  hole,  tempo- 
rarily." 

Lisle  had  no  intention  of  buying  the  stock,  but  he 
asked  a  few  questions.  It  appeared  that  it  had  been 
issued  by  a  new  company  formed  to  grow  coffee  and 
rubber  in  the  tropics. 

"  No,"  he  said ;  "  a  deal  of  that  kind  is  out 
of  my  line.  Why  not  sell  them  through  a  broker  and 
get  your  full  profit.?  " 

"  It   would   take   some   days,"    answered   the   other. 


122  THE  LONG  PORTAGE 

*'  Besides,  they  won't  move  up  until  the  directors  let 
things  out  at  the  next  meeting.  Something  of  that 
kind,  any waj ;  I  forget  —  Batley  explained  it."  He 
paused  and  added  irritably :  "  Believe  I  told  you  I'm 
in  a  hole." 

"  You  must  meet  your  losses  and  don't  know  how  to 
manage  it.''  " 

Lisle  was  curious  and  had  no  diffidence  about  putting 
the  question,  though  the  lad  was  obviously  off  his 
guard. 

**  I  can  raise  the  money  right  enough  —  Batley'll 
see  to  that ;  but  I'd  sooner  do  it  another  way.  The  in- 
terest's high  enough  to  make  one  think,  and  in  this 
<ase  I'm  paying  it  on  money  he's  putting  into  his 
pocket." 

There  was  a  good  deal  to  be  inferred  from  this  re- 
ply, but  Lisle  considered  before  he  spoke  again. 

"  You're  twenty-one,  aren't  you.''  "  he  asked. 

**  Yes,"  assented  the  lad,  "  but  the  trustees  keep  hold 
until  I'm  twenty-four." 

He  turned  with  quick  suspicion  to  the  Canadian. 

"  I  don't  see  what  that  has  to  do  with  you !  " 

"  It  isn't  very  obvious,"  Lisle  agreed.  "  Shall  we 
go  in .''  " 

They  found  Bella  in  the  hall,  and  when  her  brother 
went  to  get  his  coat  she  walked  out  on  to  the  terrace 
ivith  Lisle. 

"  Thank  you,"  she  said  gratefully  when  they  were 
out  of  sight  from  the  hall.  "  It  was  a  relief  to  see 
you  had  succeeded  in  getting  him  away." 

"  I'm  sorry  I  was  unable  to  do  so  sooner,"  Lisle  re- 
plied. 

"  Ah  {     Then  he  has  been  losing  heavily  again  ?  " 


CIIESTWICK  GIVES  TKOUBLE  123 

**  I'm  afraid  so.  I  couldn't  make  my  interference 
too  marked."  Obeying  some  impulse,  he  laid  his  hand 
on  her  arm.     "  Rather  a  handful  for  3'ou,  isn't  he?  " 

Bella  nodded,  making  no  attempt  to  shake  off  his 
grasp. 

"Yes,"  she  acknowledged  with  some  bitterness; 
"  but  I  can  hardly  complain  that  I  have  no  control 
over  him.  It  would  be  astonishin";  if  I  had."  She 
broke  into  a  little  harsh  laugh.  "  Anj'way,  I  manage 
to  keep  my  head,  and  do  not  deceive  myself,  as  he 
does.  I  know  what  our  welcome's  worth  and  what  the 
few  people  whose  opinion  counts  for  anything  think 
of  us." 

"  Well,"  offered  Lisle,  "  if  I  can  be  of  service  in  any 
respect  — " 

"  Thanks,"  she  interrupted,  and  turned  back  toward 
the  door. 

When  they  reached  the  hall  she  glanced  at  her  com- 
panion as  the  light  fell  on  his  face. 

"  Your  offer's  genuine,"  she  said  impulsively.  "  I 
can't  see  what  you  expect  in  return." 

Lisle  was  puzzled  by  her  expression.  She  was  va- 
riable in  her  moods,  generally  somewhat  daring,  and 
addicted  to  light  mockcr3\  He  could  not  tell  whether 
she  spoke  in  bitterness  or  in  mischief. 

"  No,"  he  replied  gravely,  "  nor  do  I." 

She  left  him  with  a  laugh ;  and  a  little  later  he  drove 
her  and  her  companions  away  and  afterward  returned 
to  Nasmyth's  house  to  find  that  his  host  had  retired. 
Lisle  followed  his  example  and  rising  early  the  next 
morning  they  set  off  for  the  river,  up  which  the  sea- 
trout  were  running.  They  were  bus}'  all  morning  and 
it  was  not  until  noon,  when  they  la}'  in  the  sunshine 


124)  THE  LONG  PORTAGE 

eating  their  lunch  on  a  bank  of  gravel,  that  either  of 
them  made  any  allusion  to  the  previous  evening, 

"Did  you  enjoy  yourself  last  night?"  Nasmyth 
asked. 

"  Fairl}","  Lisle  responded,  smiling.  "  I've  already 
confessed  that  you  people  interest  me.  At  the  same 
time,  I  had  my  difficulties  —  first  of  all  to  explain  to 
the  ]\Iarples  why  you  didn't  come.  The  reasons  you 
gave  didn't  sound  convincing." 

"  They  were  good  cnougli.  It's  probable  that  Mar- 
pie  understood  them.  Like  most  of  my  neighbors,  I 
go  once  or  twice  in  a  year;  his  subscription  to  the  ot- 
ter hounds  entitles  him  to  that." 

"  We  don't  look  at  things  in  that  way  in  the  parts  of 
Canada  I'm  acquainted  with,"  laughed  Lisle. 

"  Then  I've  no  doubt  you'll  come  to  it,"  Nasmyth 
replied  with  some  dryness.  "  They've  done  so  alread}'' 
in  the  older  cities.  Now  —  since  you're  fond  of  can- 
dor —  you  have  been  glad  to  earn  a  dollar  or  two  a  day 
by  chopping  and  shoveling,  haven't  you?  Have  you 
felt  left  out  in  the  cold  at  all  during  the  little  while  you 
have  spent  among  us?" 

"  Not  in  the  least,"  Lisle  owned. 

"  Then  you  can  infer  what  you  like  from  that.  In 
this  country,  we  take  a  good  deal  for  granted  and  avoid 
explanations.  But  you  haven't  said  anything  about 
the  proceedings  at  ]\Iarple's.  I  suppose  you  were  in- 
vited to  take  a  hand  at  cards  ?  " 

"  I  invited  myself ;  result,  sixty  dollars  to  the  bad 
in  half  an  hour.  I  used  to  hold  my  own  in  our  mining 
camps,  and  I  hadn't  the  worst  cards." 

Nasmyth  laughed  with  unconcealed  enjoyment. 

"  The  only  fault  I  have  to  find  with  you  Westerners 


CRESTWICK  GIVES  TROUBLE  125 

Is  that  you're  rather  apt  to  overrate  yourselves.  I 
suppose  they  let  young  Crestwick  in  a  good  deal 
deeper?  " 

"  That,"  laughed  Lisle,  "  Is  what  you  have  been  lead- 
ing up  to  from  the  beginning." 

"  I'll  admit  it.  As  I've  hinted,  one  of  the  differences 
between  an  American  and  an  Englisliman  is  that  tlie 
former  usually  expresses  more  or  less  forcibly  what  he 
thinks,  unless,  of  course,  lie's  a  financier  or  a  politician  ; 
while  you  have  often  to  learn  by  experience  what  the 
latter  means.  Better  use  your  own  methods  in  telling 
me  what  took  place." 

Lisle  did  so,  omitting  an}'^  reference  to  Bella,  and 
Nasmyth  looked  disturbed  and  disgusted. 

"  Crestwick's  as  devoid  of  sense  as  he  is  of  manners ; 
he  deserves  to  lose.  What  I  can't  get  over  is  that 
fellow  Batley's  staying  in  what  was  once  George  Glad- 
wyne's  house,  with  Clarence  standing  sponsor  for 
him." 

Lisle  fancied  he  could  understand.  Nasmyth  had 
his  failings,  but  he  had  also  his  simple,  drastic  code,  and 
it  was  repugnant  to  him  that  a  man  of  his  own  caste, 
one  of  a  family  he  had  long  known  and  respected, 
should  countenance  an  outsider  of  Batley's  kind  and 
assist  him  in  fleecing  a  silly  vicious  lad. 

*'  You  have  no  reason  to  think  well  of  Gladwyne," 
Lisle  reminded  him. 

"  I  haven't,"  Nasmyth  owned.  "  Still,  though  the 
man  has  made  one  very  bad  break,  I  hardly  expected 
him  to  exceed  every  limit.  At  present  it  looks  as  if  he 
might  do  so  ;  he'll  probably  be  forced  to." 

"  I  don't  quite  understand." 

"  Then   I'll  have  to   expl.'in.      It's   unpleasant,  but 


126  THE  LONG  PORTAGE 

here  the  thing  is,  as  I  see  it  —  Batley's  not  the  kind  oi 
man  Clarence  would  willingly  associate  with,  and  to 
give  Clarence  his  dues,  all  his  instinct  must  make  him  re- 
coil from  the  fellow's  game  Avith  Crestwick.  Consider- 
ing that  he's  apparently  making  no  protest  against  it, 
this  is  proof  to  me  that  Batley  has  some  pretty  firm  hold 
on  him." 

"What's  Batley's  profession?" 

"  I  suspect  he's  something  in  the  smart  money-lend- 
ing line ;  one  of  the  fellows  who  deal  with  minors  and 
others  on  post-obits." 

"Post-obits.?" 

"  Promises  to  pay  after  somebody's  dead.  Suppose 
there  should  be  only  an  invalid  or  an  old  man  between 
you  and  a  valuable  property ;  you  could  borrow  on  the 
sliiength  of  your  expectations.  Now,  what  Crestwick 
told  you  shows  that  the  person  who  left  him  his  money 
T^-j  wisely  handed  it  to  trustees,  with  instructions  to 
pay  him  only  an  allowance  until  he's  twenty-four.  It's 
a  somewhat  similar  case  to  the  one  I've  instanced  — 
he's  drawing  on  a  capital  he  can't  get  possession  of  for 
two  or  three  years,  and  no  doubt  paj^ing  an  extortion- 
ate interest.  So  far  as  I  know,  no  respectable  bank  or 
finance  broker  would  handle  that  kind  of  business." 

**  But  if  the  boy  died  before  he  succeeded  to  the 
property  ?  " 

"  Batley  could  cover  the  risk  by  making  Crestwick 
take  out  an  insurance  policy  in  his  favor." 

Lisle's  face  grew  stern,  and  Nasmyth  la}^  smoking  in 
silence  for  a  while.     Then  he  broke  out  ajrain : 

"  It's  intolerable !  George  Gladwyne's  successor 
abetting  that  fellow  in  robbing  the  lad,  luring  him  into 
wagers  and  reckless  play,  with  the  result  that  most  of 


CUESTWICK  GIVES  TROUBLE  12T 

the  borrowed  money  goes  straight  back  into  the  liands 
of  the  man  who  lent  it !  '* 

"  Have  you  any  suspicion  that  Gladwyac  ^ts  a 
share?  " 

"  No,"  replied  Nasmytli,  with  signs  of  strong  un- 
easiness ;  "  I  can't  bcHeve  lie  benefits  in  that  manner  — 
if  he  did,  I'd  feel  it  my  duty  to  denounce  him.  Still,, 
I  expect  he  wins  a  little  now  and  then,  incidcntaJly." 

Again  there  was  silence  for  a  while,  broken  GaaX^ 
by  Lisle. 

"  When  I'd  been  here  a  week  or  two  I  began  to  see 
that  my  task  wasn't  quite  so  simple  as  it  liad  appeased 
—  you  can't  attack  a  man  situated  as  Gladwyne  is 
without  hurting  innocent  people.  Indeed,  I've  spewt 
hours  wondering  how,  when  the  time  comes,  I  can  cle«r 
Vernon's  memory,  with  the  least  possible  damage  — 
that  is  my  business,  not  the  punishing  of  Gladwyne, 
though  he  deserves  no  consideration.  As  you  say,  a 
man  may  make  a  bad  break  and  pull  up  again,  but  this 
one  has  had  his  chance  and  has  gone  in  deeper.  What 
he's  doing  now  —  helping  to  ruin  that  lad  in  cold- 
blood  —  is  almost  worse  than  the  other  offense." 

Nasmj'th  made  an  acquiescent  gesture. 

"  It's  time ;  let  it  go  at  that.  I  don't  see  how  the 
thing  can  be  stopped.  There's  a  fish  rising  in  the 
slack  yonder ! " 

Lisle  saw  a  silver}'  gleam  in  a  strip  of  less-troubled 
water  behind  a  boulder  and  taking  up  his  rod  he  cast 
the  gaudy  fly  across  the  ripple.  There  was  a  jar,  a 
musical  clinking  of  the  reel,  and  when  Nasmyth  waded 
in  with  ready  net  all  thought  of  Gladwyne  passed  out 
of  the   Canadian's  mind. 

After  a  few  minutes'  keen  excitement,  they  landed 


128  THE  LONG  PORTAGE 

the  beautiful  glistening  trout;  and  then  they  set  off 
down-stream  in  search  of  another,  scrambling  over 
rock  and  gravel  and  wading  amidst  the  froth  in  the 
pools.  Overhead,  soft  gray  clouds  drifted  by,  casting 
long  shadows  across  fern-clad  hillside  and  far-reaching 
moor;  and  the  flood  flashed  into  silver  gleams  and 
grew  dim  again. 

Both  of  the  men  were  well  content  with  their  sur- 
roundings, and  now  and  then  Nasmyth  wondered  why 
Clarence  could  not  be  satisfied  with  the  simple  pleas- 
ures that  were  freely  off*ered  him.  He  could  have  had 
the  esteem  of  his  neighbors  and  the  good  will  of  his 
tenants,  and  there  were  healthful  tasks  that  would 
have  kept  him  occupied  —  the  care  of  his  estate,  the 
improving  of  the  homes  and  conditions  of  life  of  those 
who  worked  for  him,  experiments  in  stock-raising,  local 
public  duties.  He  had  once  slipped  badly,  so  badly 
that  the  off"ense  could  hardly  be  contemplated ;  but  that 
was  when  he  was  weak  and  famishing  and  under  the 
influence  of  an  overwhelming  fear.  At  least,  he  could 
make  some  reparation  by  leaving  the  countryside  bet- 
ter than  he  found  it,  and  in  this  he  had  friends  who 
would  loyally  assist  him. 

Clarence,  however,  had  chosen  another  way,  one  that 
led  down-hill  to  further  dishonor;  and  Nasmyth  con- 
sidered gloomily  what  the  end  of  it  all  would  be.  Oc- 
casionally he  glanced  at  the  lithe  figure  of  the  Cana- 
dian, standing  knee-deep  amid  the  froth  of  the  stream. 
Serious-eyed,  alert,  resolute,  he  could  be  depended  on 
to  carry  out  any  purpose  he  had  determined  on;  it 
was  his  firm  hands  that  would  hold  Clarence's  scourge. 


CHAPTER  XII 

MRS.    GLADWYNe's    APPEAL. 

MILLICENT  was  sitting  in  a  window-seat  with 
a  paint-box  beside  licr  and  a  drawing  of  a 
water-ouzel  upon  her  knee.  It  was  a  lifelike 
sketch,  but  she  had  a  great  capacity  for  painstaking 
and  she  was  not  altogether  pleased  with  the  drawing. 
The  bird  stood  on  a  stone  an  inch  or  two  above  a 
stream,  its  white  breast  harmonizing  with  the  flecks  of 
snowy  froth,  and  the  rest  of  its  rather  somber  plumage 
of  the  same  hue  as  a  neighboring  patch  of  shadow. 
This  was  as  it  should  be,  except  that,  as  the  central 
object  of  a  picture,  it  was  too  inconspicuous.  She 
was  absorbed  in  contemplating  it  when  Mrs.  Gladwyne 
was  shown  in.  Clarence's  mother  did  not  pay  many 
visits  and  jNIillicent  fancied  she  had  some  particular  ob- 
ject in  coming. 

She  sat  down  where  the  sunlight  fell  on  her  gentle 
face  and  silvery  hair,  her  delicate  white  hands  spread 
out  on  her  dark  dress. 

*'  Busy,  as  usual,  my  dear,"  she  said,  glancing  at 
the  sketch.     "That's  very  pretty." 

"  I  think  it's  correct,"  returned  Millicent ;  "  but  I'm 
not  sure  it's  Avhat  it  ought  to  be  in  other  respects. 
You  see,  its  pui^pose  is  to  show  people  what  a  water- 
ouzel  is  like  and  it's  hard  to  make  the  creature  out. 
Of  course,  I  could  have  drawn  it  against  a  background 

a29 


180  THE  LONG  PORTAGE 

that  would  have  forced  up  every  line,  but  that  wouldn't 
have  been  right  —  these  wild  things  were  made  to  fade 
into  their  surroundings."  She  laughed.  "  Truth  is 
rigid  and  uncompromising  —  it's  difficult  to  make  it 
subservient  to  expediency." 

Her  visitor  did  not  feel  inclined  to  discuss  the  mat- 
ter. 

"  You're  too  fastidious,"  she  smiled,  and  added  with 
a  sigh:  "George  was  like  that.  Little  things  keep 
cropping  up  ever}'  day  to  show  it  —  I  mean  in  con- 
nection with  his  care  of  the  property.  I'm  sometimes 
afraid  that  Clarence  is  different." 

Millicent  could  not  deny  this,  but  she  did  not  see 
his  mother's  purpose  in  confessing  it. 

"  Of  course,"  she  answered,  as  she  rang  for  tea, 
"  he  hasn't  been  in  charge  very  long.  One  can  learn 
only  by  experience." 

]Mrs.  Gladwyne  looked  grateful ;  but  although  she 
was  very  tranquil  there  was  something  in  her  manner 
that  hinted  at  uncertainty. 

"  You  will  finish  the  book  and  these  pictures  some 
day,"  she  said.     "  What  will  you  do  then  ?  " 

"  I  really  don't  know.  Perhaps  I  shall  start  an- 
other. If  not,  there  is  always  something  I  can  turn 
ray  hand  to.  So  many  things  seem  to  need  doing  — 
village  matters  alone  would  find  me  some  occupation." 

The  elder  lady  considered  this. 

"  Yes,"  she  agreed  with  diffidence.  "  I'm  now  and 
then  afraid  everything's  not  quite  so  satisfactory  as  it 
used  to  be.  The  cottages  don't  look  so  pretty  or  well 
cared  for,  the  people  are  not  so  content  —  some  of 
them  are  even  inclined  to  be  bitter  and  resentful.  Of 
course,  things  change,  our  relations  with  our  depen- 


MRS.  GLxVDWYNE'S  APPEAL  131 

dents  among  thcin ;  but  I  feel  that  people  like  the  ]Mar- 
plcs,  living  as  they  do,  have  a  bad  effect.  They  fonii 
a  text  for  the  dissatisfied." 

]\lilllccnt  contented  herself  with  a  nod.  She  could 
not  explain  that  in  spite  of  the  changing  mode  of 
thought  it  is  still  possible  for  an  old-fashioned  landlord 
to  retain  almost  everybody's  good  will.  Sympatliy 
and  tactful  advice  arc  appreciated,  though  not  effu- 
sivel}',  and  even  a  bluff,  well-meant  reproof  is  seldom 
resented.  But  when  rents  are  rigorously  exacted  by  a 
solicitor's  or  banker's  clerk,  and  repairs  are  cut  do^^^^, 
when  indifference  takes  the  place  of  judicious  interest, 
it  is  hardly  logical  to  look  for  the  cordial  relations  that 
might  exist.  Nasmyth's  tenants  stopped  and  ex- 
changed a  cheery  greeting  or  a  jest  with  him ;  most  of 
Gladwyne's  looked  grim  when  he  or  his  friends,  the 
Marplcs,  passed. 

Then  tea  was  brought  In  and  Millicent  found  pleas- 
ure in  watching  her  guest.  jMrs.  Gladwyne  made  a 
picture,  she  thought,  sitting  with  the  dainty  china  in 
her  beautiful  hands ;  she  possessed  the  grace  and  some- 
thing of  the  stateliness  w^hich  is  associated  with  the 
old  regime. 

"  How  quick  your  people  are,"  she  commented. 
"  You  rang  and  the  things  were  brought  in.  Our 
staff  is  large  and  expensive,  but  as  a  rule  they  keep 
us  waiting.  Though  you  paint  and  go  out  so  much, 
you  have  the  gift  of  making  a  home  comfortable.  It 
really  is  a  gift ;  one  that  should  not  be  wasted." 

Millicent  grew  serious.  It  looked  as  if  her  com- 
panion were  coming  to  the  point,  and  this  became 
plainer  when  Mrs.  Gladwyne  proceeded. 

"  Do  you  think  the  life  you  contemplate  —  writing 


132  THE  LONG  PORTAGE 

books  on  birds  and  animals  —  is  the  best  or  most  nat- 
ural one  for  a  woman  ?  " 

A  little  color  crept  into  the  girl's  face. 

"  I  don't  know ;  perhaps  it  isn't.  It  is  the  one  that 
seems  open  to  me." 

"  The  only  one,  my  dear.''  You  must  know  what  I 
mean." 

Millicent  turned  and  faced  her.  She  was  disturbed, 
but  she  seldom  avoided  a  plain  issue. 

"  I  think,"  she  said,  "  it  would  be  better  if  you  told 
me." 

"  It's  difficult."  Mrs.  Gladwyne  hesitated.  "  You 
must  forgive  me  if  I  go  wrong.  Still,  you  know  it 
was  alwaj^s  expected  that  you  would  marry  Clarence 
some  day.     It  M^ould  be  so  desirable." 

"For  which  of  us?"  Millicent's  tone  was  sharp. 
She  sj^mpathized  with  Mrs.  Gladwyne,  but  something 
was  due  to  herself. 

"  It  was  Clarence  that  I  was  thinking  of,"  admitted 
her  visitor.  "  I  suppose  that  I  am  selfish ;  but  I  am 
his  mother."  She  laid  down  her  cup  and.  looked  at 
the  girl  with  pleading  e3^es.  *'  I  must  go  on,  though 
I  don't  think  I  could  say  what  I  wish  to  any  one  but 
you.  Clarence  has  many  good  qualities,  but  he  needs 
guidance.  An  affectionate  son ;  but  it  is  my  misfor- 
tune that  I  am  not  wise  or  firm  enough  to  advise  or 
restrain  him.  I  have  dropped  behind  the  new  genera- 
tion ;  the  standards  are  different  from  what  they  were 
when  I  was  young." 

This  was  true,  but  it  was  incomplete,  and  Millicent 
let  her  finish. 

"  I  have  been  a  little  anxious,  perhaps  foolishly  so, 
about  him  now  and  then.     I  cannot  approve  of  all  his 


MRS.  GLADWYNE'S  APPEAL  133 

friends  —  sometimes  thej  jar  on  me — and  I  do  not 
like  the  views  he  seems  to  nave  acquired  from  them. 
They  are  not  the  ones  his  father  held.  Of  course,  this 
is  onl}'  the  result  of  wrong  associations  and  of  having 
a  good-humored,  careless  nature ;  it  would  be  so  differ- 
ent if  he  could  be  brought  under  some  wholesome  in- 
fluence." She  smiled  at  Millicent.  "  One  could  tinast 
implicitly  to  yours." 

It  was  an  old  pica,  fallacious  often,  but  none  the 
less  effective.  Millicent  was  devoid  of  officious  self- 
righteousness,  but  she  was  endowed  with  a  compas- 
sionate tenderness  which  prompted  her  to  extend  help 
to  all  who  needed  it.  She  thought  that  Clarence  did 
so,  but  in  spite  of  that  she  did  not  feel  so  responsive  as 
she  could  have  wished. 

"  There  is  one  difficulty,"  she  answered  while  the 
blood  crept  into  her  face.  "  I'll  own  that  I  recognized 
what  your  ideas  and  George's  were  about  Clarence  and 
myself.  I  may  go  so  far.  But  of  late  there  has  been 
nothing  to  show  that  Clarcnco  desired  to  carry  out 
those  ideas." 

Mrs.  Gladwyne  gathered  her  courage. 

"  My  dear,  it  is  rather  hard  to  say,  but  the  truth  is 
that  a  declaration  from  a  man  is  not  usually  quite 
spontaneous.  He  looks  for  some  tacit  encouragement, 
a  sign  that  one  is  not  altogether  indifferent  to  him. 
Now  it  has  struck  me  that  during  the  past  year  you 
have  rather  stood  aloof  from  my  son." 

Millicent  started  slightly  ;  there  was  some  truth  in 
this  statement.  ]\Irs.  Gladw3'ne,  however,  was  not  wise 
enough  to  stop. 

"  I  think  that  is  why  there  is  some  risk  of  his  falling 
into  bad  hands  —  that  Crestwick  girl  isn't  diffident," 


134  THE  LONG  PORTAGE 

she  went  on.  "  I  know  the  strong  regard  he  has  for 
you ;  but  the  girl  sees  a  good  deal  of  him,  and  a  man 
is  sometimes  easily  led  where  he  does  not  mean  to  go." 

Millicent's  cheeks  burned. 

"  Do  you  wish  me  to  compete  openl^^  for  Clarence's 
favor  with  Bella  Crestwick?  " 

Mrs.  Gladwyne  spread  out  her  hands  in  protest. 

"  Oh,  my  dear  1 "  she  exclaimed.  "  I  have  said  the 
wrong  thing.  I  warned  you  that  you  might  have  to 
forgive  me." 

"  But  the  thought  must  have  been  in  your  mind !  " 

"  I  only  meant  that  you  needn't  repel  or  avoid  him, 
as  you  have  done  of  late." 

Millicent  felt  compassionate.  After  all,  Mrs. 
Gladwyne  was  pleading  for  what  slie  believed  would 
benefit  her  only  son ;  but  the  girl  was  very  human 
and  a  trace  of  her  resentment  remained.  It  was, 
however,  obvious  that  Mrs.  Gladwyne  expected  some 
response. 

"  I  can  venture  to  promise  that  I  won't  be  openly 
rude,"  ]VIillicent  agreed  with  a  faint  smile. 

"  Can't  you  go  a  little  beyond  that,  my  dear?  " 

The  girl,  seeing  the  look  in  her  eyes,  yielded  to  an 
impulse  which  prompted  her  to  candor. 

"  What  there  is  to  be  said  had  better  be  spoken 
now,"  she  replied.  "  I  have  confessed  that  I  knew 
what  was  expected  —  Clarence  showed  that  he  knew  it, 
too  —  and  the  idea  was  not  altogether  repugnant  to 
me.  But  since  he  came  back  from  Canada  there  has 
been  a  change  in  both  of  us.  How  or  why  I  can't  ex- 
plain, but  we  have  drifted  apart.  I  don't  know 
whether  this  will  go  on  —  I  don't  understand  myself  — 
I  only  know  that  I  am  as  anxious  for  his  welfare  as 


MllS.  GLADWYNES  APPEAL  135 

T  always  liave  been.      It  must  be  left  to  him;  there  Is 
nothing  you  must  urge  me  to  do." 

Mrs.  Gladwyne  looked  regretful,  but  she  made  a 
sign  of  acquiescence  and  rising  came  toward  the  girl 
and  took  her  hand. 

"  What  I  could  do  I  have  done  —  badly  perhaps," 
she  said.     "  I  can't  blame  you.     I  am  only  sorry." 

She  went  out  in  a  few  minutes  and  left  Millicent  in 
a  thoughtful  mood.  Looking  back  on  the  past,  the 
girl  recognized  that  she  had  been  fond  of  Clarence  — 
which  was  the  best  word  for  it  —  and  that  she  would 
have  married  him  had  he  urged  it.  He  had,  however, 
hardly  been  in  a  position  to  do  so  then,  and  she  re- 
membered that  she  had  in  no  way  regretted  the  fact. 
This  was,  she  thought,  significant.  Then  the  change 
had  gradually  come  about.  She  saw  his  faults  more 
clearly  and  it  grew  increasingly  difficult  to  believe  that 
she  could  eradicate  them.  What  was  more,  during  the 
past  few  weeks  she  had  once  or  twice  felt  scornfully 
angry  with  him.  She  had  tried  not  to  yield  to  the 
sensation,  and  now  she  wondered  how  it  had  originated 
and  why  she  was  less  tolerant. 

As  she  considered  the  question,  a  shadow  fell  upon 
the  sunlit  lawn  and  looking  up  she  saw  Lisle  approach- 
ing with  a  creel  upon  his  back.  She  started  at  the 
sight  of  him  and  once  more  felt  her  cheeks  grow  hot ; 
then  she  smiled,  for  the  half -formed  suspicion  that  had 
flashed  into  her  mind  was  obviously  absurd.  He  saw 
her  the  next  moment  and  strode  toward  the  open  win- 
dow. 

"  We  got  a  few  good  white  trout,  fresh  run,"  he 
said.  "  It  occurred  to  me  that  you  might  like  one  or 
two  of  them." 


136  THE  LONG  PORTAGE 


He  glanced  at  the  long  French  window. 

*'  May  I  come  in  this  way?  " 

*'  I've  no  .doubt  you  could  do  so,  but  out  of  defer- 
ence to  conventional  prejudices  it  might  be  better  if 
you  went  round  by  the  usual  entrance." 

"  Charmed !  "  he  smiled.     "  That's  easy." 

"  Would  you  rather  have  it  hard  ?  " 

"  That  wasn't  the  idea,"  he  answered.  "  I  only  felt 
that  a  much  greater  difficulty  wouldn't  stop  my  getting 
in." 

Millicent  laughed. 

"  If  one  of  my  neighbors  made  such  speeches,  they'd 
sound  cheap.     From  30U  they're  amusing." 

He  affected  to  consider  this. 

"  I  suppose  the  difference  is  that  I  mean  them. 
Anyway,  I'll  walk  around." 

She  gave  him  some  tea  when  he  came  in,  and  after- 
ward admired  the  fish. 

"  They're  well  above  the  average  weight,"  she  said. 

"  We  had  two  or  three  that  would  beat  them,"  Lisle 
declared.  "  Miss  Crestwick  came  along  and  corralled 
the  finest." 

"Was  the  explanation  essential.?"  Millicent  in- 
quired with  a  smile. 

"  That  was  a  bad  break  of  mine.  So  bad  that  I 
won't  try  to  explain  it  away." 

*'  I  think  you  are  wise,"  Millicent  retorted  with  a 
trace  of  dryness. 

On  the  face  of  it,  she  was  pleased  with  his  answer, 
but  the  fact  he  had  mentioned  caused  her  some  irrita- 
tion. Bella  Crestwick,  not  content  with  monopolizing 
Clarence,  must  also  seek  to  include  the  Canadian  in 
her  train.     It  was  curious  that  for  the  moment  that 


MRS.  GLADWYNE'S  APPEAL  137 


seemed  the  more  serious  offense.  The  girl  was  insa- 
tiable and  going  too  far,  Millicent  thought. 

Lisle  noticed  her  silence. 

"  Remember  that  I'm  from  the  wilds,"  he  said. 

She  smiled  at  him  reassuringly. 

"  After  all,  that  isn't  a  great  drawback.  Anyway, 
I'm  grateful  for  the  trout."  Then,  somewhat  to  his 
surprise,  she  abruptly  changed  the  subject.  "  I  won- 
der what  you  think  of  a  tacit  promise?  " 

His  face  grew  thoughtful ;  she  liked  his  quick  change 
to  seriousness. 

"  Well,  I  don't  know  that  my  opinion's  of  much 
value,  but  you  may  have  it.  Supposing  two  people 
allow  each  other  to  assume  that  they're  agreed  upon 
the  same  thing,  it's  binding  upon  both  of  them." 

"  But  if  only  one  actually  made  his  wishes  clear." 

"  In  that  case,  the  other  had  the  option  of  showing 
that  they  couldn't  be  acceded  to.  Failing  that,  in 
my  view,  he  can't  go  back  on  it."  Then  his  eyes 
gleamed  with  amusement.  "  I  don't  often  set  up  as  a 
philosopher." 

Millicent  was  a  little  vexed  with  herself  for  asking 
him  and  did  not  quite  understand  why  she  had  done  so, 
unless  it  was  because  she  had  not  altogether  recovered 
her  usual  collectedness  after  Mrs.  Gladw^'ne's  visit. 
Why  she  should  be  interested  in  this  man's  opinion 
was  not  clear,  but  she  thought  he  was  one  who  would 
act  in  accordance  with  it.  She  was  aftenvard  even 
more  astonished  at  her  next  remark,  which  she  made 
impulsively. 

"  You  have  seen  a  good  deal  of  Miss  Crestwick, 
one  way  or  another." 

He  considered  this  gravely. 


138  THE  LONG  PORTAGE 

"  Yes,"  he  replied.  "  I  like  her.  For  one  thing, 
she's  genuinely  concerned  about  that  brother  of  hers." 

"  What  do  you  think  of  him?  " 

"  Not  much,"  Lisle  answered  candidly.  "  I've  no 
use  for  a  man  who  needs  a  woman  to  keep  him  straight 
and  look  after  him.  But  one  feels  a  strong  respect 
for  the  woman,  even  though  it's  obvious  that  she's 
wasting  her  time." 

"  Is  it  wasting  time  ?  " 

*'  It  strikes  me  like  that.  A  man  of  that  sort  is 
bound  to  come  down  badly  some  day." 

Millicent  sat  silent  a  while.  The  conversation  had 
taken  an  unusually  serious  turn,  but  she  Avondered 
whether  he  were  right.  She  had,  she  thought,  allowed 
Clarence  to  assume  that  she  would  not  repulse  him 
when  lie  formally  claimed  her  and  that  —  so  this  man 
from  the  wilds  considered  —  constituted  a  binding  ob- 
ligation. She  could  not  contest  this  view ;  but  Clar- 
ence seemed  more  interested  in  Bellat  Crestwick  than 
he  was  in  her.  Then  she  wondered  why  the  girl  had 
made  so  much  of  Lisle,  unless  it  was  to  use  him  for 
the  purpose  of  drawing  Clarence  on.  If  that  were 
so,  it  seemed  a  pity  that  the  confiding  Canadian  could 
not  be  warned,  though  that,  of  course,  was  out  of  the 
question. 

"  I'm  afraid  I'm  not  very  amusing  to-day,"  she  ac- 
knowledged. 

He  smiled. 

"  I'll  go  the  moment  you  want  to  get  rid  of  me ;  but, 
even  if  you  don't  say  anything,  I  like  sitting  here. 
This  place  rests  me." 

"  I  shouldn't  have  imagined  you  to  be  of  a  very 
restful  nature." 


MRS.  GLADWYNE'S  APPEAL  139 

"  Oh,"  he  declared,  "  there's  a  kind  of  quietness  that 
braces  3'ou." 

He  was  less  reserved  than  tlie  average  EngHshnian, 
but  he  felt  the  charm  of  his  surroundings  more  keenly 
than  the  latter  would  probably  have  done.  Every- 
thing in  the  room  was  artistic,  but  its  effect  was  deeper 
than  mere  prettiness.  It  was  cool,  thougli  the  autumn, 
sunshine  streamed  in,  and  tlie  girl  had  somehow  im- 
pressed her  personality  upon  it.  Soft  colorings,  furni- 
ture, even  the  rather  incongruous  mixture  of  statu- 
ettes and  ivory  carvings,  blended  into  a  haniionious 
whole,  and  the  girl  made  a  most  satisfactory  central 
figure,  as  she  sat  opposite  him  in  her  unusually 
thoughtful  mood.  He  felt  the  charm  of  her  presence, 
though  he  could  hardly  have  anah'zed  it.  As  he  said, 
it  was  not  even  needful  that  she  should  talk  to  him. 

"  There  are  lakes  in  British  Columbia  from  which 
you  can  look  straight  up  at  the  never-melting  snows," 
he  went  on.  "  You  feel  that  you  could  sit  there  for 
hours,  without  wanting  to  move  or  speak,  though  it 
must  be  owned  that  one  very  seldom  gets  the  oppor- 
tunity." 

"Why.?"  Milhcent  inquired. 

"  As  a  rule,  the  people  who  visit  such  places  are 
kept  too  busy  chopping  big  trees,  hauling  canoes 
round  rapids,  or  handling  heavy  rocks.  Besides,  you 
have  your  food  to  cook  and  your  clothes  to  mend  and 
wash." 

"  Then,  after  the  day's  labor,  a  man  must  do  his 
own  domestic  work.f*  " 

"  Of  course,"  answered  Lisle.  "  Now  and  then  one 
comes  back  to  camp  too  wet  or  played  out  to  worry, 
and  goes  to  sleep  without  getting  supper.      Pm  speak- 


140  THE  LONG  PORTAGE 

ing  of  when  3'ou're  working  for  your  own  hand.  In 
a  big  logging  or  construction  camp  you  reach  the 
fringe  of  cooperation.  This  man  sticks  to  the  saw, 
the  other  to  the  ax,  somebody  else  who  gets  his  share 
of  the  proceeds  chops  the  cord-wood  and  does  the 
cooking." 

*'  And  if  3^ou  can  neither  chop  nor  saw  nor  cook.''  " 

*'  Then,"  Lisle  informed  her  dryly,  "  you  have  to 
pull  out  pretty  quick." 

"  It  sounds  severe ;  that's  cooperation  in  its  grim- 
mest aspect,  though  it's  quite  logical  —  everybody 
must  do  his  part.  I'm  afraid  I  shouldn't  be  justified 
if  we  adopted  it  here." 

"  Cooperation  implies  a  division  of  tasks,"  Lisle 
pointed  out.  "  In  a  country  like  this,  they're  many 
and  varied.  So  long  as  you  draw  the  wild  things  as 
you  do,  you'll  discharge  your  debt." 

"  Do  you  know  that  that's  the  kind  of  work  the  com- 
munity generall}^  pays  one  very  little  for?  " 

"Then  it  shows  its  wrong-headedness,"  Lisle  an- 
swered as  he  glanced  meaningly  round  the  room.  "  But 
haven't  you  got  part  of  your  fee  already "?  Of  course, 
that's  impertinent." 

"  I  believe  we  would  shrink  from  saying  it,  but  it's 
quite  correct,"  INIillicent  replied.  "  Still,  since  you 
have  mentioned  the  drawings,  I'd  like  your  opinion 
about  this  ouzel." 

She  took  up  the  sketch  and  explained  the  difficulty, 
as  she  had  done  to  Mrs.  Gladwyne. 

"It's  right;  don't  alter  it,"  advised  Lisle.  "It's 
your  business  to  show  people  the  real  thing  as  it  actu- 
ally is,  so  they  can  learn,  not  to  alter  it  to  suit  their 
untrained  views." 


MRS.  GLADWYNE'S  APPEAL  141 

He  laughed  and  rose  somewhat  reluctantly. 

"  After  that,  I'd  better  get  along.  I  have  to  thank 
you  for  allowing  me  to  come  in." 

She  let  him  go  with  a  friendly  smile,  and  then  sat 
down  to  think  about  him.  He  was  rather  direct,  but 
the  good-humor  with  which  he  stated  his  opinions 
softened  their  positiveness.  Besides,  she  had  invited 
them ;  and  she  felt  that  they  were  correct.  He  was 
such  another  as  Nasmyth,  simple  in  some  respects,  but 
reliable ;  one  who  could  never  be  guilty  of  anything 
mean.  She  liked  the  type  in  general,  and  she  admit- 
ted that  she  liked  this  representative  of  it  in  partic- 
ular. 


CHAPTER  XIII 

A    FUTILE    PROTEST 

IT  was  late  at  night,  but  Gladwyne  sat,  cigar  in 
hand,  in  his  hbrar}^,  while  Batlej  lounged  beside 
the  hearth.  A  wood  fire  diffused  a  faint  aromatic 
fragrance  into  the  great  high-ceihnged  room,  and 
the  light  of  a  single  silver  lamp  flickered  on  the  pol- 
ished floor,  which  ran  back  like  a  sheet  of  black  ice 
into  the  shadow.  Heavily-corniced  bookcases  rose 
above  it  on  either  band,  conveying  an  idea  of  space 
and  distance  by  the  way  they  grew  dimmer  as  they 
receded  from  the  liglit. 

The  room  had  an  air  of  stateliness  in  its  severe  sim- 
plicity, and  its  owner,  sitting  just  inside  the  ring  of 
brightness,  clad  in  conventional  black  and  white,  looked 
in  harmony  with  it.  Something  in  his  finely-lined  fig- 
ure and  cleanly-molded  face  stamped  him  as  one  at 
home  in  such  a  place.  A  decanter  stood  near  his  elbow, 
but  it  was  almost  full.  Gladwyne,  in  many  ways,  was 
more  of  an  ascetic  than  a  sensualist,  though  this  was 
less  the  result  of  moral  convictions  than  of  a  fastidi- 
ous temperament.  The  man  had  an  instinctive  aver- 
sion for  anything  that  was  ugly  or  unpleasant.  His 
companion,  dressed  with  an  equal  precision,  looked  dif- 
ferent, more  virile,  coarser;  he  was  fuller  in  figure  and 
heavier  in  face. 

"  No,"  declared  Gladwyne  with  a  show  of  firmness ; 

142 


A  FUTILE  PROTEST  143 

"  the  line  must  be  drawn.  I've  already  gone  farther 
than  I  should  have  done." 

"  I'm  sorry  for  you,  Gladwyne  —  you  don't  seem 
to  realize  that  a  man  can't  very  well  play  two  widely 
different  parts  at  once,"  Batley  rejoined,  smiling. 
"  Your  interfering  Canadian  friend  would  describe  your 
attitude  as  sitting  upon  the  fence.  It's  an  uncom- 
fortable position,  one  that's  not  often  tenable  for  any 
length  of  time.  Hadn't  you  better  make  up  your  mind 
as  to  which  side  you'll  get  down  on  ?  " 

Gladwyne  looked  uneasy.  The  choice  all  his  instinct 
prompted  him  to  make  was  not  open  to  him,  except  at 
a  cost  which  he  was  hardly  prepared  to  face.  He  was 
known  as  a  bold  rider,  he  had  the  steady  nerves  that 
usually  result  from  a  life  spent  in  the  open  air,  but,  as 
Batley  recognized,  he  lacked  stamina. 

"  You  are  going  wide  of  the  mark,"  he  answered. 
"  What  I  have  asked  you  to  do  is  to  let  the  lad  alone. 
The  thing's  exciting  comment.  You  " —  he  hesitated 
— "  have  made  enough  out  of  him." 

"  I  think,"  replied  the  other  coolly,  "  I  was  very 
much  to  the  point.  If  you  don't  recognize  this,  I'll 
ask :  Suppose  I  don't  fall  in  with  your  request,  what 
then.?" 

Gladwyne  examined  his  cigar.  It  was  not  in  his  na- 
ture to  face  an  issue  boldly,  and  his  companion  seemed 
determined  to  force  one. 

"  I've  asked  it  as  a  favor,"  he  finally  said. 

"  No,"  corrected  Batley ;  "  I  don't  tliink  you  did  so. 
You  intimated  your  wishes  in  a  rather  lordly  style." 

This  was  true,  but  Gladwyne  winced  at  the  man's 
cold  smile.  He  had,  in  a  fit  of  indignation  w'hich  was 
both  honest  and  commendable,  expressed  himself  with 


144  THE  LONG  PORTAGE 

some  haughtiness ;  but  he  knew  that  he  would  be  beaten 
if  it  came  to  an  open  fight.  This  was  unfortunate,  be- 
cause his  intentions  were  good. 

*'  Besides,"  Batley  continued,  "  I'm  not  in  a  posi- 
tion to  gi'ant  expensive  favors.  My  acquaintance  with 
j-oung  Crestwick  is,  of  course,  profitable.  What's 
more,  I've  verj'  liberally  offered  you  a  share," 

Gladwyne's  face  grew  hot.  He  had  acted,  most  re- 
luctantly, as  a  decoy  to  the  vicious  lad,  but  he  had 
never  benefited  by  it,  except  when  now  and  then  some 
stake  fell  into  his  hands.  The  suggestion  that  he 
should  share  in  the  plunder  filled  him  with  disgust,  and 
he  knew  that  Batley  had  made  it  to  humiliate  him. 

"  You're  taking  risks,"  he  continued.  "  There's 
legislation  on  the  subject  of  minors'  debts;  Crestwick 
began  to  deal  with  you  before  he  was  twenty-one,  and 
he's  still  in  his  trustees'  hands.  If  he  made  trouble, 
I'm  inclined  to  think  some  of  your  transactions  would 
look  very  much  like  conspiracy." 

"  I  know  my  man.  You  people  would  suJfFer  a  good 
deal,  sooner  than  advertise  yourselves  through  the  law 
courts." 

"  Crestwick  isn't  one  of  us,"   Gladv/yne   objected. 

"  Then,  as  he  aspires  to  be  considered  one,  he'll  go 
even  farther  than  you  would.  None  are  so  keen  for 
the  honor  of  the  flock  as  those  who  don't  strictly  belong 
to  the  fold.  There's  another  point  you  overlook  — 
a  person  can't  very  well  conspire  alone,  and  inquiries 
might  be  made  about  my  confederates.  That,  how- 
ever, is  not  a  matter  of  much  importance,  because  I 
imagine  Miss  Crestwick  would  not  allow  any  one  to 
point  to  you.  Besides,  her  money's  safe,  and  she's  a 
prepossessing  young  lady." 


A  FUTILE  PROTEST  146 

Gladwyne  straightened  himself  sharply  in  his  chair. 
"  Don't  go  too  far  !     Tiierc  are  things  I  won't  stand  !  " 

*'  Then  we'll  try  to  avoid  them.  All  I  require  is 
that  you  still  give  the  lad  the  entry  of  this  house  and 
don't  interfere  with  mc.     You  see  I'm  reasonable." 

As  Gladwyne  had  interfered,  to  acquiesce  was  to 
own  defeat,  which  was  galling,  and  while  he  hesitated 
Batley  watched  him  with  an  air  of  indulgent  amuse- 
ment. 

"  It's  a  pity  you  were  not  quite  straight  with  me  at 
the  beginning,  Gladwyne ;  it  would  have  saved  you 
trouble,"  he  remarked  at  length.  "  I  took  a  sporting 
risk  at  pretty  long  odds  —  I  have  to  do  so  now  and 
then  and  I  pa}'  up  when  I  lose.  But  if  I'd  known  the 
money  was  to  go  to  Miss  Gladwj'ne  and  you  would  only 
get  the  land,  I'd  never  have  kept  30U  supplied;  and 
in  particular  I  wouldn't  have  made  the  last  big  loan 
shortly  before  you  and  your  cousin  sailed  for  Canada." 

*'  You  knew  it  was  a  blind  speculation  —  that  I  ran 
the  same  risk  as  George  did,  and  that  he  might  outlive 
me." 

"  You're  wrong  on  one  point,"  Batley  objected 
dryly.  "  I'm  acquainted  with  your  temperament  — 
it's  not  one  that  would  lead  you  into  avoidable  diffi- 
culties. Well,  you  came  through  and  your  cousin  died, 
but  you  failed  to  pay  me  off  when  you  came  into  pos- 
session." 

"  I've  explained  that  I  couldn't  foresee  the  trouble 
I  have  in  meeting  expenses.  I've  paid  you  an  extor- 
tionate interest." 

"That's  in  arrears,"  retorted  Batley.  "You 
should  have  pinched  and  denied  yourself  to  the  utmost 
until  you  had  got  rid  of  me.     You  couldn't  bring  your- 


146  THE  LONG  PORTAGE 

self  to  do  so  —  well,  it's  rather  a  pity  one  can't  have 
ever^'thing." 

Approaching  the  table,  he  quietly  took  up  the  lamp. 
It  was  heavy,  standing  on  a  massive  silver  pillar,  but 
he  raised  it  above  his  head  so  that  the  light  streamed 
far  about  the  stately  room.  Then  he  laughed  as  he 
set  it  down. 

"  It's  something  to  be  the  owner  of  such  a  place 
and  enjoy  all  that  it  implies  —  which  includes  your 
acknowledged  status  and  your  neighbors'  respect. 
There  would  be  a  risk  of  losing  the  latter  if  it  came 
out  that,  driven  by  financial  strain,  you  had  been  spec- 
ulating on  your  cousin's  death." 

Gladwyne  made  a  little  abrupt  movement  and  Batley 
saw  that  his  shot  had  told. 

"  It  would  be  enough  to  place  you  under  a  cloud," 
he  went  on.  "  People  might  think  that  you  had  at 
least  not  been  very  reluctant  to  leave  him  to  starve. 
Well,  I've  had  to  wait  for  my  money,  with  the  interest 
by  no  means  regularly  paid,  and  unless  you  can  square 
off  the  account,  I  must  ask  you  to  leave  me  a  free  hand 
to  deal  with  Crestwick  as  I  think  fit.  In  return,  if 
it's  needful,  I'll  see  you  through  on  reasonable  terms 
until  you  marry  Miss  Crestwick  or  somebody  else  with 
money." 

On  the  whole,  Gladwyne  was  conscious  of  relief. 
He  had  been  badly  frightened  for  a  moment  or  two. 
If  Batley,  who  had  good  reasons  for  distrusting  him, 
had  accepted  his  account  of  his  cousin's  death,  it  was 
most  unlikely  that  it  had  excited  suspicion  in  the  mind 
of  anybody  else.  Crestwick,  however,  must  be  left  to 
his  fate.  It  was,  though  he  failed  to  recognize  this, 
an  eventful  decision  that  Gladwyne  made. 


A  FUTILE  PROTEST  147 


<i 


As  you  will,"  he  answered,  rising.  "  It's  late ; 
I'm  going  for  my  candle." 

He  strode  out  of  the  room,  and  Batlcy  smiled  as  he 
followed  him. 

A  day  or  two  later  Lisle  stood  on  Gladwyne's  lawn. 
Gladwyne  entertained  freely,  and  though  his  neighbors 
did  not  approve  of  all  of  his  friends,  the  man  had  the 
gift  of  pleasing,  and  his  mother  unconsciously  exerted 
a  charm  on  every  one.  She  rarely  said  anything  witty, 
but  she  never  said  anything  unkind  and  she  would 
listen  with  a  ready  sympathy  that  sometimes  concealed 
a  lack  of  comprehension. 

Lisle  had  a  strong  respect  for  the  calm,  gracious 
lady,  though  she  had  won  it  by  no  more  than  a  smile 
or  two  and  a  few  pleasant  words,  and  he  went  over  to 
call  upon  her  cver3'  now  and  then.  He  was  interested 
in  the  company  he  met  at  her  house ;  it  struck  him  as 
worth  studjing ;  and  he  had  a  curious  feeling  that  he 
was  looking  on  at  the  preliminary  stages  of  a  drama  in 
which  he  might  presently  be  called  upon  to  play  a  lead- 
ing part.  Besides,  he  had  reasons  for  watching  Glad- 
wyne. 

The  stage  was  an  attractive  one  to  a  man  who  had 
spent  much  of  his  time  in  the  wilderness  —  a  Avide  sweep 
of  sunlit  sward  with  the  tennis  nets  stretched  across 
part  of  it ;  on  one  side  a  dark  fir  wood ;  and  for  a 
background  a  stretch  of  brown  moor  receding  into  the 
distance,  dimmed  by  an  ethereal  haze.  A  group  of 
young  men  and  women,  picturesquely  clad,  Avere  busy 
about  the  nets ;  others  in  flannels  and  light  draperies 
strolled  here  and  there  across  the  grass,  and  a  few  more 
had  gathered  about  the  tea-table  under  a  spreading 
cedar,    where    IMrs.    Gladwyne    sat    in    a    low    wicker- 


148  THE  LONG  PORTAGE 

chair.  Over  all  there  throbbed  the  low,  persistent 
murmur  of  a  stream. 

Lisle  was  talking  to  Milllcent  near  the  table.  He 
looked  up  as  a  burst  of  laughter  rose  from  beside  the 
nets  and  saw  Bella  Crestwick  walk  away  from  them. 
One  or  two  of  the  others  stood  looking  after  her,  and 
Mrs.  Gladwyne  glanced  from  her  chair  inquiringly. 

"  Thej^  seem  amused,"  she  said. 

"  It  was  probably  at  one  of  Miss  Crestwick's  re- 
marks ;  she's  undoubtedly  original,"  returned  Millicent. 
"  Still,  I  think  it  was  chiefly  Mr.  Marple's  laugh  you 
heard." 

His  voice  had  been  most  in  evidence  —  it  usually 
carried  far  —  but  Lisle  was  half  amused  at  the  dis- 
approval in  the  girl's  tone. 

"  I'm  afraid  I'm  now  and  then  a  little  boisterous, 
too,"  he  ventured. 

"  It  depends  a  good  deal  upon  what  you  laugh  at," 
Millicent  informed  him. 

Mrs.  Gladwyne  looked  up  again,  as  if  she  had  not 
heard,  and  the  girl  smiled  at  her. 

"  What  I  said  isn't  worth  repeating." 

She  moved  awaj'^  a  pace  or  two  and  Lisle  watched 
Bella,  who  glanced  once  or  twice  in  his  direction  as  she 
crossed  the  lawn.  Somehow  he  felt  that  he  was  wanted 
and  a  little  later  he  strolled  after  the  girl.  Millicent 
noticed  it  with  a  slight  frown,  though  she  did  not 
trouble  to  ask  herself  why  she  was  vexed.  When  Lisle 
reached  Bella,  she  regarded  him  with  mischief  in  her 
eyes. 

"  As  I  once  mentioned,  you  learn  rapidly,"  she 
laughed.  "  You'll  be  thankful  for  the  instruction 
some  day,  and  I  promise  not  to  teach  you  anything 


A  FUTILE  PROTEST  149 

very  detrimental.  But  I'm  a  little  surprised  that  Mil- 
licent  Gladwyne  allowed  you  to  come." 

"  I  dare  say  she  could  spare  me ;  I'm  not  a  very  en- 
tertaining companion,"  Lisle  said  humbly. 

"  It  wasn't  that,"  Bella  explained.  "  I  don't  think 
she'd  like  you  spoiled  —  perhaps  I  should  say  con- 
taminated; she  has  ideas  on  the  subject  of  education, 
too.  She  always  calls  me  I\Iiss  Crcstwick,  which  is 
significant ;  I've  no  doubt  she  did  so  when  Marple  made 
himself  conspicuous  by  his  amusement  just  now." 

Lisle  had  noticed  the  correctness  of  her  assumptions 
on  other  occasions,  but  he  said  nothing,  for  he  had 
noticed  some  bitterness  in  her  voice.  He  walked  on 
with  her  and  she  led  him  into  a  path  through  a  shrub- 
bery bordering  the  lawn,  where  she  sat  do^vn  on  a 
wooden  scat. 

"  Now,"  she  said  teasingly,  "  we  have  given  the 
others  somt^thing  to  think  about ;  but  I've  really  no 
designs  on  you.  It  wouldn't  be  much  use,  anyway. 
You're  safe." 

She  looked  up  at  him  with  elfish  mischief  in  her  ag- 
gressively pretty  face.  Dressed  in  some  clinging 
fabric  of  pale  watery  green  that  matched  the  greenish 
light  in  her  eyes  and  the  reddish  gleam  in  her  hair, 
she  was  very  alluring;  but  it  was  borne  in  upon  Lisle 
that  to  take  up  her  challenge  too  boldly  would  lower 
him  in  the  girl's  regard. 

"  I'm  human,"  he  laughed.  "  Perhaps  I'd  better 
mention  it.  But  I  think  it's  more  to  the  purpose  to  say 
that   I'm  altogether  at  your  disposal." 

"  Well,"  she  answered,  "  I  wanted  you.  As  you're 
almost  a  stranger,  it's  curious,  isn't  it.''  But,  you  see, 
I  haven't  a  real  friend  in  the  world." 


150  THE  LONG  PORTAGE 

"  I  wonder  if  that  can  be  quite  correct?  " 

"  So  far  as  the  people  here  go,  haven't  you  eyes?  " 

Lisle  had  seen  the  men  gather  about  her,  but  it  was 
those  he  thought  least  of  who  followed  her  most  closely, 
and  the  women  stood  aloof. 

"  There  are  Miss  INIarple  and  her  mother,  anyway ; 
they're  friends  of  yours,"  he  pointed  out. 

"  Just  so.  Flo  and  I  are  in  the  same  class,  making 
the  same  fight ;  but  that  isn't  always  a  reason  for  mu- 
tual appreciation  or  support.  Mrs.  Marple,  of  course, 
is  her  daughter's  partizan,  though  in  some  ways  it 
suits  us  to  stand  together.  But  I  didn't  bring  you 
here  to  listen  to  my  grievances,  but  because  you  hap- 
pen to  be  the  one  man  I  can  trust." 

Lisle  looked  embarrassed,  but  merely  bent  his  head. 

"  It's  that  silly  brother  of  mine  again,"  she  went  on. 

"  What  has  he  been  doing  now?  " 

"  It's  what  he's  thinking  of  doing  that's  the  worst. 
He  has  been  led  to  believe  it's  easy  to  acquire  riches 
on  the  stock  exchange  and  that  he  has  the  makins-s  of 
a  successful  speculator  in  him.  Cards  and  the  turf 
I've  had  to  tolerate  —  after  all,  there  were  ways  in 
which  he  got  some  return  for  what  he  spent  on  them  — 
but  this  last  craze  may  be  disastrous." 

"  Where  did  he  get  the  idea  that  he's  a  financial 
genius?     It  wouldn't  be  from  you." 

"  No,"  she  said  seriously ;  "  I'm  his  sister  and  most 
unlikely  to  encourage  him  in  such  delusions.  I  don't 
think  Batley  had  much  trouble  in  putting  the  notion 
into  his  mind."  Her  expression  suddenly  changed. 
"  How  I  hate  that  man  !  " 

Lisle  looked  down  at  her  with  grave  sympathy. 

"  It's  quite  easy  to   get  into  difficulties  by  specu- 


A  FUTILE  PROTEST  151 

lating,   unless    one   lias   ample   means.     But   I   under- 
stood — " 

Bella  checked  him  with  a  gesture. 

*'  Jim  comes  into  money  —  we  have  a  good  allow- 
ance now  —  hut  it  will  he  nearly  two  years  hefore  he 
gets  possession.  I  want  him  to  start  fair  when  he 
may,  perhaps,  have  learned  a  little  sense,  and  not  to 
find  himself  burdened  with  debts  and  associates  he 
can't  get  rid  of.  At  present,  Batlcy's  lending  him 
money  at  exorbitant  interest.  I've  pleaded,  I've 
stormed  and  told  him  plain  truths ;  but  it  isn't  the 
least  use." 

"  I  see.     T\Tiy  don't  you  take  him  away  ?  " 

"  He  won't  come.     It  would  be  worse  if  I  left  him." 

*'  Do  you  know  why  Gladwyne  tolerates  Batley?  " 

"  I  don't."  Bella  looked  up  sharply.  "  What  has 
that  to  do  with  it.?" 

Lisle  thought  it  had  a  bearing  on  the  matter,  as  the 
lad  would  have  seen  less  of  Batley  without  Gladwyne's 
connivance. 

"  Well,"  he  countered,  "  what  would  you  like  me  to 
do.?" 

"  It's  difficult  to  answer.  He's  obstinate  and  re- 
sents advice.  You  might,  however,  talk  to  him  when 
you  have  a  chance;  he's  beginning  to  have  a  respect 
for  your  opinions." 

That's     gratifying,"     Lisle      commented     dryly. 
He  was  inclined  to  patronize  me  at  first." 

She  spread  out  her  hands. 

"  You're  too  big  to  mind  it !  Tell  him  anything 
you  can  about  disastrous  mining  ventures ;  but  don't 
begin  as  if  you  meant  to  warn  him  —  lead  up  to  the 
subject  casually." 


152  THE  LONG  PORTAGE 

"  I'm  afraid  I'm  not  very  tactful,"  Lisk  confessed. 
"  He'll  see  what  I'm  after." 

"  It's  not  very  likely.  Talk  as  if  you  considered 
him  a  man  of  experience.  It's  fortunate  that  you  can 
be  of  help  in  this  ca^e,  because  I  think  some  Canadian 
mining  shares  are  to  be  the  latest  deal.  From  what 
Jim  said  it  looks  as  if  Batley  was  to  give  him  some  in- 
formation about  them  on  Wednesday,  when  Gladwyne 
and  he  are  expected  at  Marple's.  Can't  you  come? 
I  understand  you  have  been  asked." 

"  Yes,"  promised  Lisle.  "  If  I  have  an  opportu- 
nity, I'll  see  what  can  be  done." 

Bella  rose  and  smiled  at  him. 

"  We'll  go  back ;  I'm  comforted  already.  You're 
not  profuse,  but  one  feels  that  you  will  keep  a 
promise." 

They  walked  across  the  lawn,  Bella  now  conversing 
in  an  animated  strain  about  unimportant  matters, 
though  it  did  not  occur  to  Lisle  that  this  was  for  the 
benefit  of  the  lookers-on.  On  approaching  the  tea- 
table,  she  adroitly  secured  possession  of  a  chair  which 
another  lady  who  stood  higher  in  her  hostess's  esteem 
was  making  for,  and  sitting  down  chatted  cheerfully 
with  Mrs.  Gladwyne.  Lisle  was  conscious  of  some 
amusement  as  he  watched  her.  She  was  clever  and 
her  courage  appealed  to  him ;  but  presently  he  saw 
Millicent  and  strolled  toward  where  she  was  standino-. 
She  spoke  to  him,  but  he  thought  she  was  not  quite  so 
gracious  as  she  had  been  before  he  went  away. 


CHAPTER  XIV 

USLE    COMES    TO    THE    RESCUE 

A  FEW  days  after  his  interview  with  Bella,  Lisle 
overtook  INIillicent  as  she  was  walking  up  a 
wooded  dale.  She  looked  around  with  a  smile 
when  he  joined  her  and  they  fell  into  friendly  talk. 
There  were  points  on  which  they  differed,  but  a  sense 
of  mutual  appreciation  was  steadily  growing  stronger 
between  them.  Presently  Lisle  happened  to  mention 
the  Marplcs,  and  IMillicent  glanced  at  him  thought- 
fully.     She  knew  that  he  met  Bella  at  their  house. 

"  You  have  seen  a  good  deal  of  these  people,  one 
way  or  another,"  she  remarked. 

"These  people.?  Aren't  3'ou  a  little  prejudiced 
against  them.?  " 

I  suppose  I  am,"  Millicent  confessed. 
Then  won't  you  give  me  the  reason.?     Your  point 
of  view  isn't  always  clear  to  an  outsider." 

"  I'll  try  to  be  lucid.  I  don't  so  much  obj  cct  to 
Marple  as  I  do  to  what  he  stands  for ;  I  mean  to  mod- 
em tendency." 

"  That's  as  involved  as  ever." 

The  girl  showed  a  little  good-humored  impatience. 
She  did  not  care  to  supply  the  explanation  —  it  was 
against  her  instincts  —  and  she  was  inclined  to  won- 
der why  she  should  do  so  merely  because  the  man  had 
asked  for  it. 

153 


15^  THE  LONG  PORTAGE 

"  Well,"  she  said,  "  the  feudal  system  isn't  dead, 
and  I  believe  that  what  is  best  in  it  need  never  dis- 
appear altogether.  Of  course,  it  had  its  drawbacks, 
but  I  think  it  was  better  than  the  commercialism  that 
is  replacing  it.  It  recognized  obligations  on  both 
sides,  and  there  is  a  danger  of  forgetting  them ;  the 
new  people  often  fail  to  realize  them  at  all.  Marple 
- —  I'm  using  him  as  an  example  —  bought  the  land  for 
what  he  could  get  out  of  it." 

"  About  three  per  cent.,  he  told  me.  It  isn't  a 
great  inducement." 

Millicent  made  a  half-disdainful  gesture. 

"  He  gets  a  great  deal  more  —  sport,  a  status, 
friends  and  standing,  and  a  means  of  suitably  enter- 
taining them.  That,  I  suppose,  is  one  reason  why  the 
return  in  money  from  purely  agricultural  land  is  so 
small." 

"  Then  is  it  wrong  for  a  business  man  to  buy  these 
things,  if  he  can  pay  for  them  ?  " 

"  Oh,  no !  But  he  must  take  up  the  duties  attached 
to  his  purchase.  When  you  buy  land,  human  lives 
go  with  it.  They're  still  largely  in  the  landlord's 
hands.  Of  course,  we  have  legislation  which  has  cur- 
tailed the  land-owner's  former  powers,  but  it's  a  soul- 
less, mechanical  thing  that  can  never  really  take  the 
place  of  direct  personal  interest." 

She  stopped  and  glanced  back  down  the  winding 
dale.  Here  and  there  smooth  pastures  climbed  the 
slopes  that  shut  it  in,  but  over  part  of  them  ranged 
mighty  oaks,  still  almost  green.  Beyond  these,  beeches 
tinted  with  brown  and  crimson  glowed  against  the 
dusky  foliage  of  spmces  and  silver-firs. 

"  One  needs  wisdom,  love  of  the  soil  and  all  that 


LISLE  COMES  TO  THE  RESCUE        155 

lives  on  it,  and  perhaps  patience  most  of  all,"  she  re- 
sumed. "  These  woods  are  an  example.  They  are  not 
natural  like  jour  forests  —  every  tree  has  been  care- 
full}'  planted  and  as  it  grew  the  young  sheltering 
wood  about  it  carefully  thinned  out.  Then  as  the 
trunks  gained  in  size  it  was  necessary  to  choose  with 
care  and  cut.  With  the  oaks  it's  a  work  of  genera- 
tions, planting  for  one's  great-grandchildren,  and  the 
point  that  is  suggested  most  clearly  is  the  continuity 
of  interest  that  should  exist  between  the  men  who  use 
the  spade  and  ax  and  the  men  who  own  and  plan. 
It  is  not  a  little  thing  that  the  third  and  fourth  genera- 
tions should  complete  the  task,  when  a  mutual  tolera- 
tion and  dependence  is  handed  down." 

Lisle  was  conscious  of  a  curious  stirring  of  his 
feelings  as  he  listened  to  her.  She  was  tall  and  finely- 
proportioned,  endowed  with  a  calm  and  gracious  dig- 
nity which  was  nevertheless,  he  thought,  in  keeping 
with  a  sanguine  and  virile  nature.  This  girl  was  one 
of  the  fairest  and  most  precious  products  of  the  soil 
she  loved. 

"  It's  a  pity  in  many  ways  that  the  Gladwyne  prop- 
erty didn't  come  to  you,"  he  obser\'ed. 

Her  expression  changed  and  he  spread  out  one  hand 
deprocatingly. 

"  That's  another  blunder  of  mine.  I  haven't  ac- 
quired your  people's  unfailing  caution  j^et,  but  I  only 
meant  — " 

"  Perhaps  it  would  be  better  if  you  didn't  tell  me 
what  you  did  mean." 

Lisle  nodded.  He  felt  that  he  had  desen'ed  the  re- 
buke, as  the  truth  of  his  assertion  could  not  be  ad- 
mitted without  disparaging  Gladwyne.      She  would  al- 


156  THE  LONG  PORTAGE 

low  nothing  to  the  latter's  discredit  to  be  said  by  a 
stranger,  but  it  was  unpleasant  to  think  that  she  re- 
garded him  as  one.     He  changed  the  subject. 

"  You  mentioned  that  landlord  and  laborer  had  a 
joint  interest  in  the  soil,  and  that's  undoubtedly 
right,"  he  said.  "  The  point  where  trouble  arises  is, 
of  course,  over  the  division  of  the  yield.  The  former's 
share  is  obvious,  but  nowadays  plowman  and  forester 
want  more  than  their  fathers  seem  to  have  been  satis- 
fied with.  I  don't  think  you  can  blame  them  —  in  Can- 
ada they  get  more." 

"  I'll  give  you  an  instance  to  show  why  one  can't 
treat  them  very  liberall}^  Wlien  my  brother  got  pos- 
session he  spent  a  great  deal  of  money  —  it  was  left 
him  by  his  mother  and  didn't  come  out  of  the  land  — 
in  draining,  improvements,  and  rebuilding  homesteads 
and  cottages,  besides  freely  giving  his  time  and  care. 
For  a  number  of  years  he  got  no  return  at  all,  and 
part  of  the  expenditure  will  always  be  unproductive. 
It  isn't  a  solitary  case." 

They  went  on  together  through  the  shadowy,  crim- 
son-tinted dale  until  Millicent  stopped  at  the  gate  of  a 
field-road. 

"  I  am  going  to  one  of  the  cottages  yonder,"  she 
explained.  "  I  expect  Nasmyth  on  Wednesday  eve- 
ning.    Are  you  coming  with  him?  " 

"  I'm  son-y,  but  I'm  going  to  Marple's.  You  see, 
I  promised." 

"  Promised  Marple?  " 

He  was  learning  to  understand  her,  for  though  she 
showed  no  marked  sign  of  displeasure  he  knew  that 
she  was  not  gratified. 

"  No,"  he  answered ;  "  Miss  Crestwick." 


LISLE  COMES  TO  THE  RESCUE       157 

She  did  not  speak,  but  there  was  something  in  her 
manner  that  hinted  at  disdainful  amusement. 

"  I  think  jou're  hardly  fair  to  her,"  he  said. 

"  It's  possible,"  Millicent  replied  carelessly.  "  Does 
it  matter?  " 

"  Well,"  he  broke  out  with  some  warmth,  "  the  girl 
hasn't  such  an  easy  time  among  3'ou ;  and  one  can  only 
respect  her  for  the  way  she  stands  by  her  brother." 

"  Have  you  anything  to  say  in  his  favor.''  " 

"  It  would  be  pretty  difficult,"  admitted  Lisle. 
"  But  you  can't  blame  his  sister  for  that." 

"  I  don't  think  I've  shown  any  desire  to  do  so,"  she 
retorted. 

Lisle  knit  his  brows. 

"  You  people  are  rather  curious  in  your  ideas. 
Now,  here's  a  lonely  girl  who's  pluckily  trying  to  look 
after  that  senseless  lad,  and  not  a  one  of  you  can 
spare  her  a  word  of  s^-mpathy,  because  she  doesn't  run 
on  the  same  stereotyped  lines  as  you  do.  Can  you 
help  only  the  people  who  will  conform.''  " 

Millicent  let  this  pass,  and  after  an  indifferent  word 
or  two  she  turned  away.  Before  she  reached  home, 
however,  she  met  Nasmyth. 

"  Why  don't  you  keep  Mr.  Lisle  out  of  those  ]\Iar- 
ples'  hands?"  she  asked  him. 

"  In  the  first  place,  I'm  not  sure  that  I  could  do  so ; 
in  the  second,  I  don't  see  why  I  should  tr}',"  Nasmyth 
replied.  "  On  the  whole,  considering  that  he's  a 
Western  miner,  I  don't  think  he's  running  a  serious 
risk.  Perhaps  I  might  hint  that  Bella  Crestwick's 
hardly  likely  to  consider  him  as  big  enough  game." 

"  Don't  be  coarse  !  "  INIillicent  paused.  "  But  he 
spoke  hotly  in  her  defense." 


158  THE  LONG  PORTAGE 

"  After  all,"  responded  Nasmyth,  "  I  shouldn't  won- 
der if  she  deserves  it ;  but  it  has  no  significance.  You 
see,  he's  a  rather  chivalrous  person." 

Millicent  flashed  a  quick  glance  at  him,  but  his  face 
was  expressionless. 

"  What  did  he  say  ?  "  he  asked. 

"  I  don't  remember  exactly :  he  hinted  that  we  were 
narrow-minded  and  uncharitable." 

Nasmyth  laughed. 

"  I  almost  think  there's  some  truth  in  it.  I've  seen 
you  a  little  severe  on  those  outside  the  fold." 

"  A  man's  charity  is  apt  to  be  influenced  by  a  pretty 
face,"  Millicent  retorted. 

"I'll  admit  it,"  replied  Nasmyih  dryly.  "But  I 
can't  undertake  to  determine  how  far  that  fact  has 
any  bearing  on  this  particular  instance." 

Millicent  talked  about  something  else,  but  she  was 
annoyed  with  herself  when  the  question  Nasmyth  had 
raised  once  more  obtruded  itself  on  her  attention  dur- 
ing the  evening. 

On  Wednesday  Lisle  walked  over  to  Marple's  house, 
because  he  had  promised  to  go,  though  he  would  much 
rather  have  spent  an  hour  or  two  with  Nasmyth  and 
Millicent  in  the  latter's  drawing-room.  He  had  no 
opportunity  for  any  private  speech  with  Bella,  but 
she  flung  him  a  grateful  glance  as  he  came  in.  He 
waited  patiently  and  followed  her  brother  here  and 
there,  but  he  could  not  secure  a  word  with  him  alone. 

Some  time  had  passed  when,  escaping  from  a  group 
engaged  in  what  struck  him  as  particularly  stupid 
badinage,  he  sauntered  toward  the  billiard-room,  strug- 
gling with  a  feeling  of  Irritation.  He  was  generally 
good-humored  and  tolerant  rather  than  hypercritical, 


LISLE  COMES  TO  THE  RESCUE       159 

but  the  somewhat  senseless  hilarity  of  Marple's  guests 
was  beginning  to  jar  on  him.  A  burst  of  laughter 
which  he  thought  had  been  provoked  by  one  of  Bella's 
sallies  followed  him  down  the  corridor,  but  when  he 
quietly  opened  the  door  the  billiard-room  was  empty 
except  for  a  group  of  three  in  one  comer.  He  stopped 
just  inside  the  threshold,  glancing  at  them,  and  it 
was  evident  that  they  had  not  heard  his  approach. 

Wreaths  of  cigar  smoke  drifted  about  the  room ; 
the  light  of  the  shaded  lamps  fell  upon  the  men  seated 
on  a  lounge,  and  their  expressions  and  attitudes  were 
significant.  Gladwyne  leaned  back  languidly  grace- 
ful ;  Batley,  a  burlier  figure,  was  talking,  his  eyes  fixed 
on  Crestwick ;  and  the  lad  sat  upright,  looking  eager. 
Batley  appeared  to  be  discussing  the  principles  of 
operating  on  the  stock  exchange. 

"  It's  obvious,"  he  said,  "  that  there's  very  little  to 
be  made  by  waiting  until  any  particular  stock  becomes 
a  popular  favorite  —  the  premium  equalizes  the  profit 
and  sometimes  does  away  with  it.  The  essential  thing 
is  to  take  hold  at  the  beginning,  when  the  shares  are 
more  or  less  in  disfavor  and  can  be  picked  up  cheap." 

Lisle  stood  still  —  he  was  in  the  shadow  —  watching 
the  lad,  who  now  showed  signs  of  uncertainty. 

"  I  dropped  a  good  deal  of  money  the  last  time  I 
tried  it,"  he  protested.  "  The  trouble  is  that  if  you 
come  in  when  the  company's  starting,  3^ou  can't  form 
an  accurate  idea  of  how  it  ought  to  go." 

"  Exactly,"  replied  Batley.  "  You  can  rarely  be 
quite  sure.  What  you  need  is  sound  judgment,  the 
sense  to  recognize  a  good  thing  when  you  see  it, 
pluck,  and  the  sporting  instinct  —  you  must.be  ready 
to  back  your  opinion  and  take  a  risk.     It's  only  the 


160  THE  LONG  PORTAGE 


necessity  for  that  kind  of  thing  which  makes  it  a  fine 
game." 

He  broke  off,  looking  up,  and  as  Lisle  strolled  for- 
ward with  a  glance  at  Crestwick,  he  saw  Batley's 
genial  expression  change.  It  was  evident  that  the 
idea  of  being  credited  with  the  quahties  mentioned  ap- 
pealed to  the  lad,  and  Lisle  realized  that  Batley  was 
wishing  him  far  away.  He  had,  however,  no  inten- 
tion of  withdrawing,  and  taking  out  a  cigar  he  chose 
a  cue  and  awkwardly  proceeded  to  practise  a  shot. 

"  This,"  he  said  nonchalantly,  "  is  an  amusement  I 
never  had  time  to  learn,  and  I  really  came  along  for  a 
quiet  smoke.     Don't  let  me  disturb  you." 

He  saw  Crestwick's  look  and  understood  what  was 
in  the  lad's  mind.  It  was  incomprehensible  to  the 
latter  that  a  man  should  boldly  confess  his  ignorance 
of  a  game  of  high  repute.  Batley,  however,  seeing 
that  the  intruder  intended  to  remain,  returned  to  the 
attack,  and  though  he  spoke  in  a  lower  voice  Lisle 
caught  part  of  his  remarks  and  decided  that  he  was 
cleverly  playing  upon  Crestwick's  raw  belief  in  him- 
self. This  roused  the  Canadian  to  indignation, 
though  it  was  directed  against  Gladwyne  rather  than 
his  companion.  Batley,  he  thought,  was  to  some 
extent  an  adventurer,  one  engaged  in  a  hazardous 
business  at  which  he  could  not  always  win,  and  he  had 
some  desirable  qualities  —  good-humor,  liberality, 
coolness  and  daring.  The  well-bred  gentleman  who 
served  as  his  decoy,  however,  possessed  none  of  these 
redeeming  characteristics.  His  part  was  merely  des- 
picable; there  was  only  meanness  beneath  his  polished 
exterior. 

"  It  certainly  looks  promising,"  Lisle  heard  Crest- 


LISLE  COMES  TO  THE  RESCUE       161 

wick  say ;  "  you  have  pretty  well  convinced  me  that 
it  can't  go  wrong." 

"  I  can't  see  any  serious  risk,"  declared  Batley. 
*'  That,  in  the  case  of  mining  stock,  is  as  far  as  I'd 
care  to  go.  On  the  other  hand,  there's  every  prospect 
of  a  surprising  change  in  the  value  of  the  shares  as 
soon  as  the  results  of  the  first  reduction  of  ore  come 
out.  I  can  only  add  that  I'm  a  holder  and  I  got  you 
the  offer  of  the  shares  as  a  favor  from  a  friend  who's 
behind  the  scenes.  Don't  take  them  unless  you  feel 
inclined." 

Tliis  was  a  slip,  as  Lisle  recognized.  It  is  not  in 
human  nature  to  dispose  of  a  commodity  that  will 
shortly  increase  in  value.  Crestwick,  however,  obvi- 
ously failed  to  notice  this :  Lisle  thouq:ht  the  idea  of 
getting  on  to  the  inside  track  appealed  to  his  vanity. 

"  It's  a  curious  name  they've  given  the  mine,"  com- 
mented the  lad,  repeating  it.     "  What  does  it  mean.'*  " 

Lisle  started,  for  he  recognized  the  name,  and  it 
offered  him  a  lead.  Strolling  toward  the  group,  he 
leaned  against  the  table. 

"  I  can  tell  you  that,"  he  said.  "  It's  an  Indian 
word  for  a  river  gorge.     I  went  up  it  not  long  ago." 

"  Then,"  exclaimed  Crestwick,  "  I  suppose  you 
know  the  mine.''  " 

Lisle  glanced  at  the  others.  Their  eyes  were  fixed 
upon  him,  Batley's  steadily,  Gladwyne's  with  a  hint 
of  uneasiness.  It  was,  he  felt,  a  remarkable  piece  of 
good  fortune  that  had  given  him  control  of  the  situa- 
tion. 

"  Yes,"  he  answered  carelessly,  "  I  know  the  mine." 

"  I'm  thinking  of  taking  shares  in  it,"  Crestwick  in- 
formed him. 


162  THE  LONG  PORTAGE 

"  Well,"  said  Lisle,  "  that  wouldn't  be  wise." 

Gladwyne  leaned  farther  back  in  his  seat,  as  if  to 
disassociate  himself  from  the  discussion,  which  was 
what  the  Canadian  had  expected  from  him ;  but  Batley, 
who  was  of  more  resolute  fiber,  showed  fight.  His 
appearance  became  aggressive,  his  face  hardened,  and 
there  was  a  snap  in  his  eyes. 

"  You  have  made  a  serious  allegation  in  a  rather 
startling  way,  Mr.  Lisle.  As  I've  an  interest  in  the 
company  in  question,  I  must  ask  you  to  explain." 

"  Then  I'd  advise  j^ou  to  get  rid  of  your  interest 
as  soon  as  possible;  that  is,  so  long  as  you  don't  sell 
out  to  Crestwick,  who's  a  friend  of  mine." 

Batley's  face  began  to  redden,  and  Lisle,  looking 
around  at  the  sound  of  a  footstep,  saw  Marple  stand- 
ing a  pace  or  two  away.  He  was  a  fussy,  bustling 
man,  and  he  raised  his  hand  in  expostulation. 

"  Was  that  last  called  for,  or  quite  the  thing. 
Lisle.'*  "  he  asked. 

Batley  turned  to  Gladwyne,  as  if  for  support,  and 
the  latter  assumed  his  finest  air. 

"  I  think  there  can  be  only  one  opinion  on  that 
point,"  he  declared. 

Lisle's  eyes  gleamed  with  an  amusement  that  was 
stronger  than  his  indignation.  That  Gladwyne 
should  expect  this  gravely  delivered  decision  to  have 
any  marked  effect  tickled  him. 

"  Well,"  he  replied,  "  I'm  ready  to  stand  by  what 
I  said,  and  I'll  add  that  if  I  had  any  shares  I'd  give 
them  away  to  anybody  who  would  register  as  their 
owner  before  the  next  call  is  made." 

"  I  understood  there  wouldn't  be  a  call  for  a  long 
while,"  Crestwick  broke  in. 


LISLE  COMES  TO  THE  RESCUE       163 


« 


Then  whoever  told  you  so  must  have  been  misin- 
formed," Lisle  rejoined. 

"  Arc  you  casting  any  doubt  upon  my  honor?  " 
Batle^'  demanded  in  a  bellicose  voice. 

"  I  don't  think  so ;  anyway,  so  long  as  you  don't 
rule  out  my  suggestion.  Still,  I'm  willing  to  leave 
Gladwyne  to  decide  the  point.  He  seems  to  under- 
stand these  delicate  matters." 

Mai-ple,  looking  distressed  and  irresolute,  broke  in 
before  Gladwyne  had  a  chance  to  reply. 

"  Do  you  know  much  about  mining,  Lisle.''  " 

Lisle  laughed. 

"  I've  had  opportunities  for  learning  something,  as 
prospector,  locator  of  alluvial  claims  and  holder  of  an 
interest  in  one  or  two  comparatively  prosperous  com- 
panies." 

He  leaned  forward  and  touched  Crestwick's  shoulder. 

"  Come  along,  Jim,  and  I'll  give  you  one  or  two  par- 
ticulars that  should  decide  you." 

Somewhat  to  his  astonishment,  the  lad  rose  and 
rather  sheepishly  followed  him.  There  was  an  awk- 
ward silence  for  a  few  moments  after  they  left  the 
room  ;  then  Marple  turned  to  his  guests. 

"  I  can't  undertake  to  say  whether  Lisle  was  justi- 
fied or  not,"  he  began.  "  I'm  sorry,  however,  that 
anj'thing  of  tliis  nature  should  have  happened  in  my 
house, 


5J 


"  So  am  I,"  said  Gladwjme  with  gracious  condescen- 
sion.    "  There  is,  of  course,  one  obvious  remedy." 

Marple  raised  his  hands  in  expostulation.  He  liked 
Lisle,  and  Gladwyne  was  a  distinguished  guest.  Bat- 
ley  seemed  to  find  his  confusion  amusing. 

*'  I  think  the  only  thing  we   can  do  is  to   let  the 


164  THE  LONG  PORTAGE 

matter  drop,"  he  suggested.  **  These  fellows  from  the 
wilds  are  primitive  —  one  can't  expect  too  much.  The 
correct  feeling  or  delicacy  of  expression  we'd  look  for 
among  ourselves  is  hardly  in  their  line." 

Marple  was  mollified,  and  he  fell  in  with  Batley's 
suggestion  that  they  should  try  a  game. 

In  the  meanwhile,  Crestwick  looked  around  at  his 
companion  as  they  went  down  the  corridor. 

"  I  believe  I  owe  you  some  thanks,"  he  admitted. 
*'  I  like  the  way  you  headed  off  Batley  —  I  think  he 
meant  to  turn  savage  at  first  —  and  I  wouldn't  have 
been  willing  to  draw  in  Gladw3me,  as  you  did.  He  has 
a  way  of  crushing  you  with  a  look." 

"  It's  merely  a  sign  that  you  deserve  it,"  Lisle 
laughed.  "  You  take  too  many  things  for  granted  in 
this  country.  Test  another  man's  assumption  of 
superiority  before  you  agree  with  it,  and  you'll  some- 
times be  astonished  to  find  out  what  it's  really  founded 
on.  And  now  we'd  better  join  those  people  who're 
singing." 


CHAPTER  XV 


Bella's  defeat 


THE  afternoon  was  calm  and  hazy,  and  Lisle 
lounged  with  great  content  in  a  basket-cliair 
on  Millicent's  lawn.  His  hostess  sat  near  by, 
looking  listless,  a  somewhat  unusual  thing  for  her, 
and  Miss  Hume,  her  elderly  companion,  genial  in  spite 
of  her  precise  formality,  was  industriously  embroider- 
ing something  not  far  away.  There  was  not  a 
breath  of  wind  astir;  a  soft  gray  sky  streaked  with 
long  bars  of  stronger  color  hung  motionless  over  the 
wide  prospect.  Wood  and  moorland  ridge  and  distant 
hill  had  faded  to  dimness  of  contour  and  quiet  neutral 
tones.  Indeed,  the  wliole  scene  seemed  steeped  in  a  pro- 
found tranquillity,  intensified  only  by  the  murmur  of 
the  river. 

Lisle  enjoyed  it  all,  though  he  was  conscious  that 
Millicent's  presence  added  to  its  charm.  He  had 
grown  to  feel  restful  and  curiously  at  ease  in  her 
company.  She  was,  he  thought,  so  essentially  nat- 
ural; one  felt  at  home  with  her. 

"  I  haven't  often  seen  you  with  the  unoccupied  aj>- 
pearance  you  have  just  now,"  he  remarked  at  length. 

"  I  have  sent  the  book  off,  and  after  being  at  work 
on  it  so  long,  I  feel  disinclined  to  do  anything  else," 
she  said.  "  I've  just  heard  from  the  publishers;  they 
don't  seem  enthusiastic.     After  all,  one  couldn't  ex- 

165 


166  THE  LONG  PORTAGE 

pect  tliat  * —  the  style  of  the  thing  is  rather  out  of  the 
usual  course." 

Lisle  looked  angi'y  and  she  was  pleased  with  his  in- 
dignation on  her  behalf. 

"  They  show  precious  little  sense !  "  he  declared ; 
"  but  3'ou're  right.  It's  one  of  your  English  customs 
to  go  on  from  precedent  to  precedent  until  you  get 
anunmodifiable  standard,  when  you  slavishly  conform 
to  it.  Now  your  book's  neither  a  classification  nor 
a  catalogue  —  it's  something  far  bigger.  Never 
mind  what  the  experts  and  scientists  say ;  wait  until 
the  people  who  love  the  wild  things  and  want  their 
story  made  real  get  it  into  their  hands  !  " 

His  confidence  was  gratifying,  but  she  changed  the 
subject. 

"  You  Canadians  haven't  much  respect  for  prec- 
edent? " 

"  No ;  we  try  to  meet  the  varying  need  by  con- 
stantly changing  means.  They're  often  crude,  but 
they're  successful,  as  a  rule." 

"  It's  a  system  that  must  have  a  wide  effect,"  she 
responded,  to  lead  him  on.      She  liked  to  hear  him  talk. 

"  It  has.  You  can  see  it  in  the  difference  between 
your  country  and  mine.  This  land's  smooth  and  well 
trimmed ;  everything  in  it  has  grown  up  little  by  little ; 
its  mellow  ripeness  is  its  charm.  Ours  is  grand  or 
rugged  or  desolate,  but  it's  never  merel}'  pretty.  The 
same  applies  to  our  people ;  they're  bubbling  over  with 
raw,  optimistic  vigor,  their  comers  are  not  rubbed 
off.  Some  of  them  would  jar  on  overcivilized  people, 
but  not,  I  think,  on  any  one  with  understanding."  He 
spread  out  his  hands.  "  You  have  an  example ;  I'm 
spouting  at  large  again." 


BELLA'S  DEFEAT  167 

"  Go  on,"  she  begged ;  "  I'm  interested.  But  have 
you  ever  thought  that  instead  of  being  younger  than 
we  are  you're  really  older.  I  mean  that  you  have  gone 
back  a  long  way ;  begun  again  at  an  earher  stage, 
instead  of  going  ahead?  " 

"  Now  you  get  at  the  bottom  of  things !  "  he  ex- 
claimed. "  That's  always  been  an  idea  of  mine.  The 
people  of  the  newer  countries,  perhaps  more  particu- 
larly those  to  whom  I  belong,  are  brought  back  to 
the  grapple  with  elemental  conditions.  We're  on  the 
bed-rock  of  nature." 

"  Are  you  too  modest  to  go  any  further?  " 

He  showed  faint  signs  of  confusion  and  she  laughed. 
"  No  doubt,  the  situation  makes  for  pristine  vigor, 
and  we  are  drifting  into  artificiality,"  she  suggested. 
"  Perhaps  you,  the  toilers,  the  subduers  of  the  wilder- 
ness, are  to  serve  as  an  anchor  for  the  supercivilized 
generations  to  hold  on  by."  She  paused  and  quoted 
softly  :     "  *  Pioneers ;  O  pioneers  ! '  " 

"  What  can  I  say  to  that.-^  "  he  asked  with  half- 
amused  embarrassment.  "  We're  pretty  egotistical, 
but  one  can't  go  back  on  Whitman." 

"  No,"  she  laughed  mischievously ;  "  I  think  you're 
loyal ;  and  there  are  situations  from  which  it's  difficult 
to  extricate  oneself.  Didn't  you  find  it  so,  for  exam- 
ple, when  you  declined  to  come  here  with  Nasmyth, 
because  Miss  Crestwick  had  pressed  you  to  go  to 
Marple's.P" 

He  could  think  of  no  neat  reply  to  this  and  the 
obvious  fact  pleased  her,  for  she  guessed  that  he 
would  rather  have  spent  the  evening  with  her.  This 
was  true,  for  now,  sitting  in  the  quiet  garden  in  her 
company,  he  looked  back   on  the   entertainment  with 


168  THE  LONG  PORTAGE 

something  like  disgust.  Marple's  male  friends  were, 
for  the  most  part,  characterized  by  a  certain  gross- 
ness  and  sensuality ;  in  their  amusements  at  games  of 
chance  one  or  two  had  displayed  an  open  avarice. 
These  things  jarred  on  the  man  who  had  toiled  among 
the  rocks  and  woods,  where  he  had  practised  a  strin- 
gent self-denial. 

"  I  heard  that  you  figured  in  a  striking  little 
scene,"  Millicent  went  on. 

"  I    couldn't    help    it."     Lisle    appeared    annoyed. 
"  That  man  Batley  irritated  me ;  though,  after  all,  I 
don't  blame  him  the  most." 
This  was  a  slip. 
Whom  do  you  blame?  "  she  asked  sharply. 
Oh,"    he    explained,    "  I   wasn't   the   only    person 
present,  and  I  hadn't  arrived  at  the  beginning.      Some- 
body  should  have  stopped  the   fellow ;   the  shares  he 
tried  to  work  off  on  Crestwick  were  no  good." 

"  Then  Batley  wanted  to  sell  that  silly  lad  some 
worthless  shares  —  and  there  were  other  people  look- 
ing on  ?  " 

He  would  not  tell  her  that  Gladwyne  had  watched 
the  proceedings,  to  some  extent  acquiescing. 

"  I  thought  from  what  you  said  that  you  knew  all 
about  it,"  he  answered. 

"  No,"  she  rephed,  suspecting  the  truth,  but  seeing 
that  it  would  be  difficult  to  extract  anything  definite 
from  him.  "  I  only  heard  that  you  had  an  encounter 
of  some  kind  with  Batley.  But  why  did  you  hint  that 
he  was  not  the  worst  ?  " 

"  He  was  merely  acting  in  accordance  with  his  in- 
stincts ;  one  wouldn't  expect  anything  else." 

"  The  implication  is  that  he  was  tacitly  abetted  by 


BELLA'S  DEFEAT  169 

people  of  a  different  kind  who  ought  to  have  known 
better.'* 

He  was  not  to  be  drawn  on  this  point,  and  she  re- 
spected him  for  it. 

"  Was  it  only  an  animus  against  Batley  that 
prompted  you?  "  she  asked. 

"  No,"  he  admitted  candidly ;  "  I  wanted  to  get 
young  Crestwick  out  of  his  clutches.  I'm  not  sure 
iie's  worth  troubling  about,  but  I'm  sorry  for  his  sister. 
As  I've  said  before,  there's  something  fine  in  the  way 
she  sticks  to  him." 

The  chivalrous  feeling  did  him  credit,  Millicent  ad- 
mitted, but  she  was  dissatisfied  with  it  and  was  curious 
to  learn  if  it  were  the  onl}^  one  he  cherished  toward 
the  girl. 

"  That's  undoubtedly  in  her  favor,"  she  commented 
indifferently. 

He  did  not  respond  and  they  talked  about  other 
matters ;  but  Lisle  was  now  sensible  of  a  shght  con- 
straint in  Millicent's  manner  and  on  the  whole  she 
was  glad  when  he  took  his  leave.  Quick-witted,  as 
she  was,  she  guessed  that  he  disapproved  of  the  part 
Clarence  had  played  in  the  affair  at  Marplc's,  and 
this,  chiming  with  her  own  suspicions,  troubled  her. 
She  had  a  tenderness  for  Clarence,  and  she  wondered 
how  far  her  influence  might  restrain  and  protect  him 
if,  as  his  mother  had  suggested,  she  eventually  mar- 
ried him.  Another  point  caused  her  some  uneasiness 
—  Bella  Crestwick  had  boldly  entered  the  field  against 
her  and  Avas  making  use  of  the  Canadian  to  rouse 
Clarence  b}^  showing  him  that  he  had  a  rival.  The 
thought  of  it  stirred  her  to  indignation ;  she  would 
not  have  Lisle  treated  in  that  fashion.     After  sitting 


170  THE  LONG  PORTAGE 

still  for  half  an  hour,  she  rose  with  a  gesture  of  im- 
patience and  went  into  the  house. 

On  the  same  evening  Bella  Crestwick  felt  impelled 
to  lecture  her  brother  after  dinner.  That  was  not 
a  favorable  time,  for  the  young  man's  good  opinion 
of  himself  was  generally  strengthened  by  a  glass  or 
two  of  wine. 

"  I  thought  that  matter  of  the  shares  would  have 
taught  you  sense,  but  you  must  listen  to  Batley  again 
this  afternoon,"  she  scolded.  "  You  were  with  him 
for  half  an  hour.  I've  no  patience  with  you, 
Jim." 

"  He's  not  so  easy  to  shake  off",  particularly  as  I'm 
in  his  debt,"  returned  the  lad.  "  Besides,  he's  an  in- 
teresting fellow,  the  kind  you  learn  a  good  deal  from. 
It's  an  education  to  mix  with  such  men." 

"  The  trouble  is  that  it's  expensive.  Come  away 
with  me  before  he  ruins  you.  There's  Mrs.  Barnard's 
invitation  to  their  place  in  Scotland;  it  would  be  a 
good  excuse." 

Her  brother's  rather  lofty  manner  changed. 

"  You're  a  dear,  Bella.  You  know  you  don't  want 
to  go." 

Having  a  strong  reason  for  wishing  to  stay,  she 
colored  at  this.  Among  his  other  unprepossessing 
characteristics,  Jim  had  a  trick  of  saying  tilings  he 
should  suppress. 

"  Never  mind  me,"  she  answered.  "  Will  you 
come?" 

He  had  an  incomplete  recognition  of  the  magnitude 
of  the  sacrifice  she  was  ready  to  make,  though  it  was 
not  this  that  decided  him  not  to  fall  in  with  it. 

"  No,"  he  said  with  raw  self-confidence.     "  I'm  not 


BELLA'S  DEFEAT  171 

one  to  run  away ;  but  I'll  promise  to  keep  my  eye  on 
the  fellow  after  this  and  be  cautious.  All  his  schemes 
aren't  in  the  same  class  as  those  mining  shares,  you 
know." 

Bella  lost  her  temper  and  told  him  some  plain 
truths  about  himself,  and  this  did  not  improve  mat- 
ters, for  in  the  end  she  retired,  defeated,  leaving  Jim 
rather  sore  but  on  the  whole  satisfied  with  the  firm- 
ness he  had  displayed.  The  girl  felt  dejected  and 
almost  desperate.  She  could  not  continually  apply  to 
Lisle  for  assistance,  and  she  shrank  from  the  only 
other  course  that  seemed  open  to  her;  but  her  affec- 
tion for  the  misguided  lad  impelled  her  to  make  an- 
other attempt  to  rescue  him,  and  a  few  days  later 
she  found  her  opportunity.  It  was  a  bold  measure 
she  had  decided  on,  one  that  might  cost  her  a  good 
deal,  but  she  was  a  young  woman  of  courage  and  de- 
tennination. 

Mrs.  Marple  and  her  daughter  drove  over  with  her 
to  call  on  Mrs.  Gladwyne.  They  found  several  other 
people  present,  and  as  usual  there  Avas  no  ceremony  ;  the 
day  was  fine,  and  the  hostess  sat  outside,  while  the 
guests  strolled  about  the  terrace  and  gardens  very 
much  as  they  liked.  Bella,  hearing  that  Clarence  was 
engaged  in  the  library  and  would  not  be  down  for 
a  little  while,  slipped  away  in  search  of  him.  Her 
heart  beat  painfully  fast  as  she  went  up  the  wide 
staircase,  but  she  was  outwardly  very  collected  —  a 
slender,  attractive  figure  —  when  she  entered  the 
room.  In  her  dress  as  well  as  in  her  manner  Bella 
was  usually  distinguished  by  something  unconven- 
tional and  picturesque.  She  was  not  pleased  to  see 
Batley  standing  beside  the  table  at  which  Gladwyne 


172  THE  LONG  PORTAGE 

sat,  but  the  man  gathered  up  some  papers  when  he 
noticed  her. 

"  I've  explained  the  thing,  Gladwyne,  and  I  expect 
Miss  Crestwick  will  excuse  me,"  he  said. 

His  manner  was  good-humored  as  he  bowed  to  her 
and  though  she  almost  hated  the  man  she  was  con- 
scious of  a  faint  respect  for  him.  He  might  have 
thwarted  her  by  remaining,  for  she  had  often  made 
him  a  butt  for  her  bitter  wit.  Now,  however,  when 
she  had  shown  that  his  presence  was  not  required,  he 
was  gallantly  withdrawing.  When  he  went  out  she 
sat  down  and  Gladwyne  rose  and  stood  with  one  hand 
on  the  mantel,  waiting  for  her  to  begin.  Instead,  she 
glanced  round  the  room,  which  always  impressed  her. 
It  was  lofty  and  spacious,  the  few  articles  of  massive 
furniture  gave  it  a  severe  dignity,  and  there  was  no 
doubt  that  Gladwyne,  with  his  handsome  person  and 
highbred  air,  appeared  at  home  in  it. 

While  she  looked  around,  he  was  thinking  about 
her.  She  was  provocatively  pretty ;  a  fearless,  pas- 
sionate creature,  addicted  to  occasional  reckless  out- 
breaks, but  nevertheless  endowed  with  a  vein  of  cold 
and  calculating:  sense.  What  was  as  much  to  the 
point,  she  was  wealthy,  and  people  were  becoming 
more  tolerant  toward  her;  but  in  the  meanwhile  he 
wondered  what  she  wanted. 

"  I  came  about  Jim,"  she  said  at  length. 

"Well?" 

The  man's  expression,  which  suddenly  changed,  was 
not  encouraging  and  she  hesitated. 

"  You  know  what  he's  doing.  I've  come  to  ask  a 
favor." 

He  avoided  the  issue. 


BELLA'S  DEFEAT  173 

"  It's  nothing"  alanning ;  I  don't  suppose  he's  very 
different  from  most  lads  of  his  age.  Perhaps  it  would 
be  better  to  let  him  have  his  head." 

"  No,"  she  replied  decidedly.  "  The  pace  is  too 
hot;  I  can't  hold  him.  He'll  come  to  grief  badly  if 
he's  not  pulled  up.     You  know  that  as  well  as  I  do ! " 

Her  anger  became  her,  bringing  a  fine  glow  to  her 
cheeks  and  a  hint  of  half-imperious  dignity  into  her 
pose.  It  had  an  eff'ect  on  him,  but  he  felt  somewhat 
ashamed  of  himself. 

"  Well,"  he  asked  in  a  quiet  voice,  "  what's  the 
favor?  " 

"  Shouldn't  a  sportsman  and  a  man  of  your  kind 
grant  it  unconditionally  beforehand?  Must  you  be 
sure  you  won't  get  hurt  when  3'ou  make  a  venture?  " 

"  You'd  risk  it,"  he  answered,  bowing.  "  You're 
admirable,  Bella.  Still,  you  see,  I'm  either  more 
cautious  or  less  courageous." 

She  was  badly  disappointed.  She  knew  that  a  good 
deal  depended  on  his  answer  to  her  request,  and  shrank 
from  making  it,  because  it  would  prove  the  strength 
or  weakness  of  her  hold  on  him.  The  man  attracted 
her,  and  she  had  somewhat  openly  attempted  to  cap- 
ture him.  She  longed  for  the  position  he  could  give 
her;  she  would  have  married  him  for  that  and  his 
house,  but  she  was  willing  to  risk  her  success  for  her 
brother's  welfare. 

"  I  want  you  to  tell  Batley  that  he  must  keep  his 
hands  off"  of  Jim,"  she  said. 

He  started  at  this. 

"  He  can't  do  the  lad  much  harm.  Aren't  you  at- 
taching a  little  too  much  importance  to  the  matter?  " 

"  No ;  not  in  the  least,"  she  answered  vehemently. 


174  THE  LONG  PORTAGE 

"  I've  told  jou  so  already.  But  can't  you  keep  to  the 
point?  My  brother's  being  ruined  in  several  ways 
besides  the  debts  he's  heaping  up ;  and  I've  humbled 
m3'self  to  beg  your  help." 

"  Was  it  so  very  hard?  "  he  asked,  and  his  voice 
grew  soft  and  caressing. 

She  was  shaken  to  the  verge  of  yielding.  The  man 
was  handsome,  cultivated,  distinguished,  she  thought. 
Whether  she  actually  loved  him,  she  did  not  know, 
but  he  could  gratify  her  ambitions  and  she  was 
strongly  drawn  to  him.  He  had  given  her  a  lead,  an 
opening  for  a  few  telling  words  that  might  go  far 
toward  the  accomplishment  of  her  wishes ;  but, 
tempted  as  she  was,  she  would  not  utter  them.  She 
was  loyal  to  the  headstrong  lad;  Jim  stood  first  with 
her. 

"  That  is  beside  the  point,"  she  said  with  a  becom- 
ing air  of  pride.  "I  expected  you  would  be  willing 
to  do  whatever  you  could.  To  be  refused  what  I 
plead  for  is  new  to  me." 

He  considered  for  a  moment  or  two,  watcliing  her 
with  keen  appreciation.  Bella  in  her  present  mood, 
with  her  affectations  cast  aside,  appealed  to  him.  She 
was  not  altogether  the  woman  he  would  have  chosen, 
but  since  he  must  secure  a  rich  wife,  there  were  ob- 
vious benefits  to  be  derived  from  a  match  with  her. 
He  devoutly  wished  he  could  accede  to  her  request. 

"  Well?  "  she  broke  out  impatiently. 

"  I'm  sorry,"  he  said ;  "  I'm  unable  to  do  as  yoxi 
desire.  Of  course,  I  wish  I  could,  if  only  to  please 
you,  though  I  really  don't  think  the  thing's  necessary." 

"  You  needn't  tell  me  that  again !  It's  a  waste  of 
time ;  I'm  not  going  to  discuss  it.     Face  the  difficulty, 


BELLA'S  DEFEAT  175 

whatever  it  Is.     Do  you  mean  that  you  can't  warn 
off  Batley?" 

Gladwyne  saw  that  she  would  insist  on  a  definite 
answer  and  in  desperation  he  told  the  truth. 

"  It's  out  of  the  question." 

It  was  a  shock  to  her.  In  a  sudden  flash  of  illumi- 
nation she  saw  him  as  he  was,  weak  and  irresolute, 
helpless  in  the  grip  of  a  stronger  man.  It  was  sig- 
nificant that  she  felt  no  compassion  for  him,  but  only 
disgust  and  contempt.  She  was  no  coward,  and  even 
Jim,  who  could  so  easily  be  deluded,  was  ready  enough 
to  fight  on  due  occasion. 

"  You  are  afraid  of  the  fellow  !  "  she  exclaimed. 

Gladwyne  colored  and  moved  abruptly.  He  had 
imagined  that  she  was  his  for  the  asking,  but  there 
was  no  mistaking  her  cutting  scorn. 

"  Bella,"  he  pleaded,  "  don't  be  bitter.  You  can't 
understand  the  difficulties  I'm  confronted  with." 

"  I  can  understand  too  much ! "  Her  voice 
trembled,  but  she  rose,  rather  white  in  face,  with  an 
air  of  decision.  "  When  I  came  I  expected  —  but 
after  all  that  doesn't  matter  —  I  never  expected 
this  1 " 

He  made  no  answer;  the  man  had  some  little  pride 
and  there  was  nothing  to  be  said.  He  had  fallen  very 
low  even  in  this  girl's  estimation  and  the  fact  was  al- 
most intolerably  galling,  but  he  could  make  no  effective 
defense.  She  went  from  him  slowly,  but  with  a  sug- 
gestive deliberation,  without  looking  back,  and  there 
was  a  hint  of  finality  in  the  way  she  closed  the  door. 

Once  outside,  she  strove  to  brace  herself,  for  the  in- 
terview had  tried  her  hard.  She  had  had  to  choose 
between  Gladwvne  and  her  brother,  but  for  that  she 


176  THE  LONG  PORTAGE 

was  now  almost  thankful.  The  man  she  had  admired 
had  changed  and  become  contemptible.  It  was  as  if 
he  had  suddenly  collapsed  and  shriveled  before  her 
startled  eyes.  But  that  was  not  all  the  trouble  —  she 
was  as  far  from  saving  Jim  as  ever. 

It  cost  her  an  effort  to  rejoin  the  others,  but  she 
was  equal  to  it  and  during  the  rest  of  her  stay  her 
conversation  was  a  shade  more  audacious  than  usual. 


CHAPTER  XVI 

GLADWYNE    SURRENDERS 

EVENING  was  drawing  on  when  Bella  strolled 
aimlessly  down  the  ascending  road  that  led  to 
Marple's  residence.  On  one  hand  of  the  road 
there  was  a  deep  rift,  filled  with  shadow,  in  which  a 
beck  murmured  among  the  stones,  and  the  oaks  that 
climbed  to  the  ridge  above  flung  their  great  branches 
against  the  saffron  glow  in  the  western  sky.  Fallen 
leaves,  glowing  brown  and  red,  had  gathered  thick 
beneath  one  hedgerow  and  more  came  slowl}'^  sailing 
down ;  but  Bella  brushed  through  them  unheeding,  ob- 
livious to  her  surroundings.  She  had  suffered  during 
the  few  days  that  had  followed  her  interview  with 
Gladwync  and  even  the  sharp  encounter  with  Miss 
Marple  in  which  she  had  recently  indulged  had  not 
cheered  her,  though  it  had  left  her  friend  smarting. 

Presently  she  looked  around  with  interest  as  a 
figure  appeared  farther  up  the  road,  and  recognizing 
the  fine  poise  and  vigorous  stride,  she  stopped  and 
waited.  Lisle  was  a  bracing  person  to  talk  to,  and 
she  wanted  to  see  him.  He  soon  came  up  with  her 
and  she  greeted  him  cordially.  Unlike  Gladwyne,  he 
was  a  real  man,  resolute  and  resourceful,  with  a  gen- 
erous vein  in  him,  and  she  did  not  resent  the  fact  that 
he  looked  rather  hard  at  her. 

177 


178  THE  LONG  PORTAGE 

"  You  don't  seem  as  cheerful  as  usual,"  he  obser\'ed. 

"  I'm  not,"  she  confessed.  "  In  fact,  I  think  I  was 
very  nearly  crying." 

"What's  the  trouble.'*"  He  showed  both  interest 
and  sympathy. 

"  Oh,  you  needn't  ask.  It's  Jim  again.  I've  tried 
every  means  and  I  can't  do  anything  with  him." 

"  He  is  pretty  uncontrollable.  Seems  to  have  gone 
back  to  Batley  again.  I  wonder  if  it  would  be  any 
good  if  I  looked  for  an  opportunity  for  making  a  row 
with  the  fellow?  " 

"  No,"  she  answered,  with  appreciation,  for  this  was 
very  different  from  Gladwyne's  attitude.  "  It  would 
only  separate  Jim  from  you,  and  I  don't  want  that 
to  happen.  Please  keep  hold  of  him,  though  I  know 
that  can't  be  pleasant  for  you." 

"  He  is  trying  now  and  then,  but  I'll  do  what  I 
can.  Gladwyne,  however,  has  more  influence  than  I 
have.      Did  you  think  of  asking  him  ?  " 

She  colored,  and  in  her  brief  confusion  he  read 
his  answer  with  strong  indignation  —  she  had  pleaded 
with  Gladwyne  and  he  had  refused  to  help. 

"  Do  you  know,"  she  said,  looking  up  at  him, 
"  you're  the  only  real  friend  I  have.  There's  nobody 
else  I  can  trust." 

"  I  think  you're  wrong  in  that,"  he  declared ;  and 
acting  on  impulse  he  laid  a  hand  protectingly  on  her 
shoulder,  for  she  looked  very  dejected  and  forlorn. 
"  Anyway,  you  mustn't  worry.  I'll  do  something  — 
in  fact,  something  will  have  to  be  done." 

"What  will  you  do?" 

He  knitted  his  brows.  There  was  a  course,  which 
promised  to  be  effective,  open  to  him,  but  he  was  most 


GLADWYNE  SURRENDERS  179 

averse  to  adopting  it.  He  could  give  Gladw^^nc  a 
plain  hint  that  he  had  better  restrain  his  confederate, 
but  he  could  enforce  compliance  only  by  stating  what 
he  knew  about  the  former's  desertion  of  his  cousin. 
He  was  not  ready  to  do  that  yet ;  it  would  precipitate 
the  climax,  and  once  his  knowledge  of  the  matter  was 
revealed  his  power  to  use  it  in  case  of  a  stronger 
need  might  be  diminished.  The  temptation  to  leave 
Jim  Crestwick  to  his  fate  was  strong,  but  his  pity 
for  the  anxious  girl  was  stronger. 

"  I'll  have  a  talk  with  Gladwyne,"  he  promised. 

"  That  wouldn't  be  of  the  least  use !  " 

"  I  think  he'll  do  what  I  suggest,"  Lisle  answered 
with  a  trace  of  grimness.  "  Make  your  mind  easy ; 
I'll  have  Batley  stopped." 

She  looked  at  him  in  surprise,  filled  with  relief  and 
gratitude.  He  was  one  who  would  not  promise  more 
than  he  could  perform;  but  how  he  could  force  his 
will  on  Gladwyne  she  did  not  know. 

"  You're  wonderful !  "  she  exclaimed.  "  Whatever 
one  asks  3'ou're  able  to  do." 

"  And  you're  very  staunch." 

"Oh!"  she  said,  standing  very  close  to  him,  with 
his  hand  still  on  her  shoulder,  "  we  won't  exchange 
compliments  —  they're  too  empty,  and  you  deserve 
something  better."  She  glanced  round  swiftly. 
"  Shut  your  eyes,  tight !  " 

He  obeyed  her,  and  for  a  moment  light  fingers  rested 
on  his  breast ;  then  there  was  a  faint  warm  touch  upon 
his  cheek.  When  he  looked  up  she  was  standing  a 
yard  awa^',  smiling  mockingly. 

"  I>on't  trust  your  imagination  too  much  —  it 
might   have   deceived   you,"    she   warned.     "  But   you 


180  THE  LONG  PORTAGE 

have  sense;  jou  wouldn't  attach  an  undue  value  to 
anything." 

"  Confidence  and  gratitude  are  precious,"  he  an- 
swered. "  I'd  better  point  out  that  I  haven't  earned 
either  of  them  yet." 

Bella  was  satisfied  with  this,  but  she  grew  graver, 
wondering  how  far  she  might  have  delivered  Gladwyne 
into  his  hands.  She  was  angry  with  the  man,  but 
she  would  not  have  him  suffer. 

"  I  don't  know  what  power  you  have  —  but  you 
won't  make  too  much  use  of  it  —  I  don't  wish  that,'* 
she  begged.  "After  all,  though,  Jim  must  be  got 
out  of  that  fellow's  clutches." 

"  Yes,"  assented  Lisle,  "  there's  no  doubt  of  it." 

She  left  him  presently  and  he  went  on  down  the  dale, 
not  exactly  repenting  of  his  promise,  but  regretting 
the  necessity  which  had  led  to  his  making  it.  The 
task  with  which  he  had  saddled  himself  was  an  ex- 
ceedingly unpleasant  one  and  might  afteinvard  make 
it  more  difficult  for  him  to  accomplish  the  pui-pose 
that  had  brought  him  to  England,  but  he  meant  to 
carry  it  out. 

As  it  happened,  he  met  Mrs.  Gladwyne  at  Milll- 
cent's,  where  he  called,  and  he  spent  an  uncomfortable 
half -hour  in  her  company.  She  had  shown  in  various 
ways  that  she  liked  him,  and  calling  him  to  her  side 
soon  after  he  came  in,  she  talked  to  him  in  an  unusu- 
ally genial  manner.  He  felt  like  a  traitor  in  this 
gracious  lady's  presence  and  it  was  a  relief  when  she 
took  her  departure. 

"  You  look  troubled,"  Millicent  observed. 

"  That's  how  I  feel,"  he  confessed.     "  After  all,  it 


GLADWYNE  SURRENDERS  181 

isn't  a  very  uncommon  sensation.  It's  sometimes  dif- 
ficult to  see  ahead." 

"  Often,"  she  answered,  smihng.  "  What  do  you 
do  then  —  stop  a  little  and  consider?  " 

"  Not  as  a  rule.  The  longer  you  consider  the  dif- 
ficulties, the  worse  they  look.  It's  generally  better  to 
go  right  on." 

iMillicent  agreed  with  this ;  and  soon  afterward  Lisle 
took  his  departure  and  walked  back  to  Nasmyth's  in 
an  unusually  serious  mood.  They  were  sitting  smok- 
ing when  his  host  broached  the  subject  that  was  oc- 
cupying him. 

"  It's  some  time  since  you  said  anything  about  the 
project  that  brought  you  over,"  he  remarked. 

"  That's  so,"  assented  Lisle.  "  I'm  fixed  much  as 
I  was  when  we  last  spoke  of  it.  When  I  was  in 
Canada,  I  tliought  I'd  only  to  find  Gladwyne  and 
scare  a  confession  out  of  him.  Now  I  find  that  what 
I've  undertaken  isn't  by  any  means  so  simple." 

"  I  warned  you  that  it  wouldn't  be." 

"  You  were  right.  There's  his  mother  to  consider 
—  it's  a  privilege  to  know  her  —  she's  devoted  to  the 
fellow.  Then  there's  Millicent ;  in  a  way,  she's  almost 
as  devoted,  anyhow  she's  a  staunch  friend  of  his.  I 
don't  know  how  either  of  them  would  stand  the  reve- 
lation." 

"  It  would  kill  Mrs.  Gladwyne,"  Nasmyth  declared. 

There  was  silence  for  a  while,  and  then  Lisle  spoke 
again. 

"  I'm  badly  worried ;  any  move  of  mine  would  lead 
to  endless  trouble  —  and  yet  there's  the  black  blot  on 
the  memory  of  the  man  to  whom  I  owe  so  much;  I 


182  THE  LONG  PORTAGE 

can't  bring  myself  to  let  it  remain.     Besides  all  this, 
there's  another  complication." 

*'  Young  Crcstwick's  somehow  connected  with  it," 
Nasmyth  guessed. 

Lisle  did  not  deny  it. 

"  That  crack-brained  lad  seems  to  be  the  pivot  on 
which  the  whole  thing  turns.  Curious,  isn't  it.'*  I 
wish  the  responsibility  hadn't  been  laid  on  my  shoul- 
ders. Just  now  I  can't  tell  what  I  ought  to  do  —  it's 
harassing." 

"  Don't  force  things ;  wait  for  developments,"  Nas- 
myth advised  him.  "  I'm  not  tr}  ing  to  extract  in- 
formation; the  only  reason  I  mentioned  the  subject  is 
that  a  man  in  the  home  counties  has  asked  me  to  come 
up  for  a  few  weeks  and  bring  you  along.  He's  a 
good  sort,  there's  fair  sport,  and  it's  a  nice  place; 
but  I  don't  mind  in  the  least  whether  I  go  or  not." 

"  Then  I'd  rather  stay.  I've  a  feeling  that  I  may 
be  wanted  here." 

"  I'm  quite  satisfied,  for  a  reason  I'll  explain.  You 
have  ridden  that  young  bay  horse  of  mine.  He  comes 
of  good  stock  and  he's  showing  signs  of  an  excellent 
pace  over  the  hurdles.  Now  I  couldn't  expect  to 
enter  him  for  any  first-rate  event  —  he's  hardly  fast 
enough  and  it's  too  expensive  in  various  ways  —  but 
there's  a  little  semi-private  meeting  to  be  held  before 
long  at  a  place  about  thirty  miles  off.  I  might  have 
a  chance  there  if  we  put  him  into  training  immedi- 
ately.    You  know  something  about  horses  .f*  " 

"  Not  much,"  responded  Lisle.  "  I've  made  one 
long  journey  in  the  saddle  in  Alberta;  but  you've  seen 
our  British  Columbian  trails.  Our  cayuses  have  gen- 
erally to  climb,  and  as  a  rule  I've  used  horses  only 


GLADWYNE  SURRENDERS  183 

for   packing.      Still,    I'm    fond    of   them;    I'd   be    in- 
terested in  the  thing." 

Nasmyth  nodded. 

"  One  difficulty  is  that  there's  nothing  in  the  neigh- 
borhood that  I  could  try  him  for  pace  against  except 
that  horse  of  Gladwyne's." 

"  He'd  no  doubt  let  you  have  the  beast." 

"  It's  possible,"  Nasmyth  agreed  dryly.  "  But  I've 
objections  to  being  indebted  to  him;  and  I  don't  want 
Batley,  Marple  and  Crestwick  to  take  a  hand  in  and 
put  their  money  on  me.     However,  we'll  think  it  over." 

They  retired  to  sleep  soon  afterward ;  and  the  next 
day  Lisle  walked  across  to  call  on  Gladwyne,  in  a 
quietly  determined  mood.  Clarence  was  in  his  library, 
and  he  looked  up  with  some  curiosity  when  Lisle  was 
shown  in.     Lisle  came  to  the  point  at  once. 

"  You've  no  doubt  noticed  that  Jim  Crestwick  has 
been  going  pretty  hard  of  late,"  he  said.  "  Bets, 
speculation,  and  that  sort  of  thing.  He  can't  keep 
it  up  on  a  minor's  allowance.  It  will  end  in  a  bad 
smash  if  he  isn't  checked." 

Gladwyne's  manner  became  supercilious. 

"  I  fail  to  see  how  it  concerns  you,  or,  for  that  mat- 
ter, either  of  us." 

"  We  won't  go  into  the  question  —  it's  beside  the 
point.     What  I  want  you  to  do  is  to  pull  him  up." 

He  spoke  as  if  he  meant  to  be  obeyed,  and  Glad- 
wyne looked  at  him  in  incredulous  astonishment. 

"  Do  you  suppose  I'm  able  to  restrain  the  lad.''  '* 

"  You  ought  to  be,"  Lisle  answered  coolly.  "  It's 
your  friend  Batley  who's  leading  him  on  to  ruin ;  I'm 
making  no  comments  on  your  conduct  in  standing  by 
and  watching,  as  if  you  approved  of  it 


»> 


184.  THE  LONG  PORTAGE 


The  man  grew  hot  with  anger. 

*'  Thank  you  for  your  consideration."  Kis  tone 
changed  to  a  sneer.  "  I  suppose  you  couldn't  be  ex- 
pected to  realize  that  the  attitude  you're  adopting  is 
inexcusable  .-^  " 

"  If  you  don't  like  it,  I'll  try  another,"  Lisle  re- 
turned curtly.  *'  You'll  give  Batley  his  orders  to 
leave  the  lad  alone  right  now." 

Gladwyne  rose  with  his  utmost  dignity,  a  fine  gen- 
tleman whose  feelings  had  been  outraged  by  the  coarse 
attack  of  a  barbarian ;  but  Lisle  waved  his  hand  in 
a  contemptuous  manner. 

"  Stop  where  you  are ;  that  kind  of  thing  is  thrown 
away  on  me.  You're  going  to  listen  for  a  few 
minutes  and  afterward  j^ou're  going  to  do  what  I 
tell  you.  To  begin  with  —  why,  after  you'd  opened 
it,  didn't  you  wipe  out  all  trace  of  the  cache  on  the 
reach  below  the  last  portage  your  cousin  made.?  " 

The  shot  obviously  reached  its  mark,  for  Gladwyne 
clutched  the  table  hard,  and  then  sank  back  limply 
into  his  seat.  He  further  betrayed  himself  by  a  swift, 
instinctive  glance  toward  the  rows  of  books  behind 
him,  and  Lisle  had  no  doubt  that  the  missing  pages 
from  George  Gladwyne's  diary  were  hidden  among 
them.  He  waited  calmly,  sure  of  his  position,  while 
Gladwyne  with  difficulty  pulled  himself  together. 

"  Have  you  any  proof  that  I  found  the  cache  .'*  "  he 
asked. 

"  I  think  so,"  Lisle  informed  him.  "  But  we'll  let 
that  slide.  You'd  better  take  the  thing  for  granted. 
I'm  not  here  to  answer  questions.  I've  told  you 
plainly  what  I  want." 

There  was  silence  for  nearly  a  minute  during  which 


GLADWYNE  SUllRENDERS  185 

Gladwyne  sat  very  still  in  nerveless  dismay.  All  re- 
sistance had  melted  out  of  him,  his  weakness  was  mani- 
fest —  he  could  not  face  a  crisis,  there  was  no  courage 
in  him. 

"  The  miserable  young  idiot ! "  he  broke  out  at 
length  in  impotent  rage.  "  This  is  not  the  first 
trouble  in  which  he  has  involved  me !  " 

"  Just  so,"  said  Lisle.  "  Not  long  ago  his  sister 
came  here,  begging  you  to  save  him,  and  you  wouldn't. 
It's  not  my  part  to  point  what  she  must  think  of  you. 
But  I'm  in  a  different  position ;  3'ou  won't  refuse  me." 

Gladwyne  leaned  forward,  gripping  the  arms  of  his 
chair  as  if  he  needed  support,  and  his  face  grew 
haggard. 

"  The  difficulty  is  that  I'm  helpless,"  he  declared. 

Lisle  regarded  him  with  contempt. 

"  Brace  up,"  he  advised  him.  "  The  fellow  you're 
afraid  of  is  only  flesh  and  blood ;  he  has  his  weak 
point  somewhere.  Face  him  and  find  it,  if  you  can't 
talk  him  round.     There's  no  other  way  open  to  you." 

A  brief  silence  followed ;  and  then  Gladwyne  broke 
it. 

"  I'll  try.  But  suppose  I  can  induce  him  to  leave 
Crestwick  alone.''  " 

"  So  much  the  better  for  you,"  Lisle  answered  with 
a  dry  smile.  "  I'm  not  here  to  make  a  bargain.  I 
don't  want  anything  for  myself." 

He  went  out,  consoling  himself  Avith  the  last  reflec- 
tion, for  the  part  he  had  played  had  been  singularly 
disagreeable.  Passing  down  the  wide  staircase  and 
through  the  great  hall,  he  turned  along  the  terrace 
with  a  sense  of  wonder  and  disgust.  It  was  a  stately 
house;  the  wide  sweep  of  lawn  where  two  gardeners 


/ 


186  THE  LONG  PORTAGE 

were  carefully  sweeping  up  the  leaves,  the  borders  be- 
yond it,  blazing  with  dahlias  and  ranks  of  choice  chrys- 
anthemums, convej^ed  the  same  suggestion  of  order, 
wealth  and  refinement.  One  might,  he  thought,  have 
expected  to  find  some  qualities  that  matched  with  these 
—  dignity,  power,  a  fine  regard  for  honor  —  in  the 
owner  of  such  a  place,  but  he  had  not  even  common 
courage.  An  imposing  figure,  to  outward  seeming,  the 
Canadian  regarded  him  as  one  who  owed  everything  to 
a  little  surface  polish  and  his  London  clothes. 

Lisle  paused  to  look  back  when  he  reached  the  end 
of  the  terrace,  from  which  a  path  that  v.ould  save  him 
a  short  walk  led  through  a  shrubbery.  One  wing  of 
the  building  was  covered  with  Virginia  creeper  that 
glowed  with  the  gorgeous  hues  of  a  fading  maple  leaf, 
the  sunlight  lay  on  the  grass,  and  the  feeling  of  tran- 
quillity that  hung  about  the  place  grew  stronger. 
He  thought  that  he  could  understand  how  the  desire 
to  possess  it  would  stir  an  Englishman  reared  in  such 
surroundings,  and  yet  he  was  now  convinced  that  this 
was  not  the  impulse  which  had  driven  Gladwyne  into 
deserting  his  starving  cousin.  The  man  had  merely 
yielded  to  craven  fear. 

He  heard  footsteps,  and  looking  around  was  a  little 
surprised  to  see  Batley  moving  toward  him. 

"  You  have  just  called  on  Gladwyne,"  Batley  began. 

Lisle  stopped.  There  was,  so  far  as  he  knew,  noth- 
ing to  be  said  in  favor  of  the  man,  but  his  cool  bold- 
ness was  tempered  by  a  certain  geniality  and  an 
occasional  candor  that  the  Canadian  could  not  help  ap- 
preciating.     He  preferred  Batley  to  Gladwyne. 

"  That's  so,"  he  agreed. 

"  I'm    inclined   to    think   your   visit    concerned   me. 


GLADWYNE  SURRENDEKS  187 

I've  noticed  your  interest  in  young  Crestwick  —  it's 
obvious  —  I  don't  know  whether  one  could  say  the 
same  of  the  cause  of  it  ?  " 

"  We  won't  discuss  that.  If  you  have  anything 
to  say  to  me,  you  had  better  adopt  a  less  offensive 
style." 

Batley  smiled  good-humorcdly. 

"  You're  quick  at  resenting  things.  I  don't  see 
why  you  should  expect  a  longer  patience  from  me." 

"  I  don't  expect  anything  from  you,"  Lisle  informed 
him.  "  In  proof  of  it,  I'll  mention  that  I  called  to 
tell  Gladwyne  he  must  keep  you  off  of  Jim  Crestwick." 

He  made  a  slip  in  the  last  few  words,  which  the 
other  quickly  noticed. 

"  Ordered  him,  in  fact,"  he  said. 

Lisle  made  no  answer  and  Batley  resumed : 

"  You  have  some  kind  of  a  hold  on  Gladwyne ;  so 
have  I.  Of  course,  it's  no  news  to  you.  I'm  a  little 
curious  to  learn  what  yours  consists  of." 

"Why?" 

"  It  struck  me  that  we  might  work  together." 

"  I'm  not  going  in  for  card-sharping  or  anything  of 
that  kind ! " 

The  man  seemed  roused  by  this,  but  he  mastered  his 
anger. 

"  Civility  isn't  expensive  and  sometimes  it's  wise," 
he  observed.  "  I  won't  return  the  compliment ;  in  fact, 
I'll  credit  you  with  the  most  disinterested  motives.  All 
I  mean  is  that  I  might  help  you  and  you  might  help 
me.  I'm  not  quite  what  you  seem  to  think  I  am,  and  if 
I  can  get  my  money  back  out  of  Gladwyne  I  won't 
harm  him." 

"  I  don't  care  in  the  least  whether  you  harm  him  or 


188  THE  LONG  PORTAGE 

not.  But  I'll  try  to  arrange  that  you  drop  Crest- 
wick." 

Batley  considered  this  for  a  moment  or  two. 

"  Well,"  he  said,  "  I'm  sorry  we  can't  agree ;  but  as 
regards  Crestwick  you  can  only  head  me  off  by  forcing 
Gladwjne  to  interfere.  Between  ourselves,  do  you 
think  he's  a  man  who's  likely  to  take  a  bold  course?  " 

"  I  think  so  —  in  the  present  case." 

"  You  mean  if  the  pressure's  sufficient.  Now  you 
have  given  me  a  glimpse  at  your  hand  and  I'll  be  can- 
did. Gladwyne  rather  let  me  in,  and  there's  a  risk  in 
deahng  with  a  lad  who's  to  all  intents  and  purposes  a 
minor ;  I've  gone  about  as  far  with  him  as  I  consider 
judicious.  Don't  do  anything  that  may  damage  Glad- 
wyne financially  without  giving  me  warning,  and  in  re- 
turn I'll  let  Crestwick  go.  To  some  extent,  I  only 
got  hold  of  him  as  an  offset  to  the  trouble  I've  had 
with  Gladwj^ne.     Is  it  a  bargain?     You  can  trust  me." 

"  We'll  let  it  go  at  that,"  repHed  Lisle.  "  But  I'll 
keep  my  eye  on  you." 

Batley's  gesture  implied  that  he  would  not  object 
to  this,  and  he  turned  away,  leaving  the  Canadian  to 
walk  back  to  Nasmyth's  thoughtfully.  Lisle  did  not 
think  he  had  done  Gladwyne  much  harm  by  his  tacit  ad- 
missions, and  he  had  some  degree  of  confidence  in  Bat- 
ley's  assurance. 


1 


CHAPTER  XVII 

A    BAD    FALL 

GLADWYNE  spent  the  first  few  days  that  fol- 
lowed Lisle's  visit  in  a  state  of  dread  and  in- 
decision. He  had  allowed  the  Canadian  to 
understand  that  he  would  endeavor  to  prevent  Crest- 
wick's  being  further  victimized,  but  he  had  already 
failed  to  induce  Batley  to  abandon  the  exploitation  of 
tlie  lad  and  he  had  no  cause  for  believing  that  a  second 
attempt  would  be  more  successful.  Moreover,  he 
shrank  from  making  it ;  the  man  had  shown  him  clearly 
that  he  would  brook  no  interference. 

On  the  other  hand,  he  was  equally  afraid  of  Lisle. 
This  cool,  determined  Canadian  was  not  to  be  trifled 
with,  and  he  knew  or  suspected  enough  about  the  trag- 
edy in  British  Columbia  to  make  him  dangerous.  It 
was  certain  that  a  revelation  of  Batley's  speculation 
would  go  a  very  long  way  toward  establishing  the 
truth  of  any  damaging  story  Lisle  thought  fit  to  tell. 
Supposing  the  two  by  any  chance  combined  their 
knowledge  —  that  he  had  raised  money  in  anticipation 
of  his  cousin's  death,  and  afterward  left  him  to  perish 
—  nothing  that  he  could  say  would  count  against  the 
inference.  George  had  been  a  healthy  man,  not  much 
older  than  Clarence,  when  the  money  was  borrowed, 
and  his  decease  within  a  limited  time  had  appeared  im- 

189 


190  THE  LONG  PORTAGE 

probable.  Nobody  would  believe  the  actual  truth  that 
Batley  with  characteristic  boldness  had,  in  return  for 
what  he  thought  a  sufficient  consideration  in  the  shape 
of  an  exorbitant  interest,  taken  a  serious  risk.  The 
thing  would  look  like  a  conspiracy  between  the  heir 
presumptive  and  the  speculator  who  lent  the  monc}-; 
and  in  this,  for  a  bold  man,  there  might  have  been  a 
loophole  for  escape,  but  Gladwyne  knew  that  he  had 
not  the  nerve  to  use  the  fact  against  his  ally. 

Nevertheless,  Gladwyne  was  really  guiltless  in  c;He 
respect  —  he  had  not  desired  his  cousin's  death ;  he 
would  have  gone  back  to  the  rescue  had  he  not  dreaded 
that  he  would  share  George's  fate.  Lack  of  courage 
had  been  his  bane,  and  it  was  so  now,  for  instead  of 
speaking  to  Batley  he  temporized.  The  man  had  made 
no  further  attempt  upon  Crestwick,  and  Gladwyne  de- 
cided that  until  he  did  so  there  was  no  need  for  him  to 
interfere.  Still,  as  the  next  few  weeks  passed,  he  was 
conscious  of  a  growing  dread  of  the  Canadian  which, 
as  sometimes  happens,  became  tinged  with  hatred. 
Lisle  was  the  more  serious  menace,  and  it  was  ominous 
that  he  now  and  then  exchanged  a  word  or  two  with 
Batley.  If  the  two  formed  an  offensive  alliance,  he 
would  be  helpless  at  their  hands. 

In  the  meanwhile,  Nasmyth  has  been  training  his 
horse  for  the  approaching  meeting  and  after  trying 
him  against  one  belonging  to  a  neighbor  and  not  find- 
ing it  fast  enough  he  had  reluctantly  fallen  back  on 
a  chestnut  owned  by  Gladwyne.  The  animal  pos- 
sessed a  fine  speed  and  some  jumping  powers.  Its 
chief  fault  was  a  vicious  temper;  but  Gladwyne  was 
seldom  troubled  by  lack  of  nerve  in  the  saddle.  It 
was  in  time  of  heavy  moral  strain  that  he  failed,  and 


A  BAD  FALL  191 

he  was  glad  to  arrange  with  Nasmyth  for  a  sharp 
gallop. 

Somewhat  to  the  latter's  regret,  news  of  his  inten- 
tions had  spread,  and  on  the  morning  of  the  trial  a 
number  of  people,  including  the  Marples  and  Crest- 
wicks  and  Millicent,  had  gathered  about  the  course. 
It  was  a  dark  day,  with  a  moist  air  and  a  low,  gray  sky. 
The  grass  was  wet,  a  strip  of  plowing  which  could  not 
be  avoided  was  soft  and  heavy,  and  the  ground  in 
front  of  several  of  the  jumps  was  in  a  far  from  satis- 
factory state.  Nasmjth,  who  kept  a  very  small  estab- 
lishment and  had  hitherto  generally  ridden  the  horse, 
walked  round  part  of  the  course  with  Lisle. 

"  It  will  be  heav}'  going  and  there's  a  nasty  greasy 
patch  at  the  biggest  fence,"  he  said.  "  I'd  have  waited 
for  u  better  day  only  that  it's  often  wet  where  they 
have  the  meeting,  and  I  want  to  see  what  he  can  do 
over  cjround  like  this.  You'll  have  to  watch  him  at 
the  jumps." 

"  He'd  do  better  with  you  in  the  saddle,"  Lisle  sug- 
gested. 

"  I'd  rather  put  you  up.  I'm  not  going  to  ride  at 
the  meeting;  I'm  over  the  weight  they  ought  to  give 
him  and  I  want  to  get  him  used  to  a  stranger's  hands. 
As  it's  an  outside  event  of  no  importance,  I  haven't 
fixed  on  my  man  yet." 

They  walked  back  toward  the  starting-point,  where 
Gladwyne  was  waiting,  with  Batley  and  Crestwick  in 
attendance.  As  they  approached  it,  Millicent  joined 
them. 

"  Are  you  going  to  ride  to-day  ?  "  she  asked  Lisle. 

"  Nasmyth  insists,"  was  the  answer.  "  I'm  afraid 
I  won't  do  him  much  credit." 


192  THE  LONG  PORTAGE 


Gladwjne  looked  up  with  a  slight  frown. 

"  You  won't  mind?  "  Nasmyth  asked  him.  "  I'd 
penalize  the  horse  by  nearly  a  stone." 

"  No,"  replied  Gladwyne,  shortly ;  "  there's  no  rea- 
son why  I  should  object." 

This  was  true,  but  he  had  an  unreasoning  aversion 
to  facing  this  opponent.  Of  late,  the  Canadian  had 
caused  him  trouble  at  almost  every  turn,  and  it  looked 
as  if  he  could  not  even  indulge  in  a  morning's  amuse- 
ment without  being  plagued  with  him.  He  was  con- 
scious of  a  most  uncharitable  wish  that  Lisle  would 
come  to  grief  at  one  of  the  fences  and  break  his  neck. 
In  many  ways,  this  would  be  a  vast  relief. 

*'  Would  anybody  like  to  make  it  a  sporting 
match?"  Crestwick  asked.  "The  bay's  my  fancy; 
I'm  ready  to  back  it." 

Bella  tried  to  catch  his  eye,  but  he  disregarded  this. 
She,  however,  saw  Lisle  glance  at  Batley  and  noticed 
the  iatter's  smile. 

"  It  isn't  worth  while  betting  on  trials,"  Batley  de- 
clared.    "  Better  wait  until  the  meeting." 

The  girl  was  less  astonished  than  gratified.  Glad- 
wyne was  surprised  and  disconcerted.  He  had  said 
nothing  to  Batley  about  Crestwick,  but  he  had  noticed 
Lisle's  warning  glance,  and  the  other's  prompt  acqui- 
escence appeared  significant.  It  looked  as  if  the  two 
had  joined  hands,  and  that  was  what  he  most  dreaded. 
An  almost  overpowering  rage  against  the  Canadian 
possessed  him.  When  he  attempted  to  mount,  the 
chestnut  gave  him  trouble  by  backing  and  plunging; 
but  the  bay  was  quiet  and  Nasmyth  stood  for  a  few 
moments  by  Lisle's  stirrup. 

"  Save  him  a  bit  for  the  second  round,"  he  advised. 


A  BAD  FALL  193 

*'  Another  thing,  look  out  when  you  come  to  the  big- 
brushed  hurdles,  particularly  the  second  time." 

Batley  volunteered  as  starter,  and  when  he  got  them 
off'  satisfactorily  the  spectators  scattered,  one  or  two  to 
watch  the  pace  across  the  plowed  land,  the  others  mov- 
ing toward  the  stifFest  jumps  —  the  course  was  roughly 
circular. 

The  trial  was  a  new  experience  to  Lisle,  and  he 
felt  the  exhilaration  of  it  as,  remembering  his  instruc- 
tions, he  strove  to  hold  his  mount.  Gladwyne's  horse 
was  a  length  ahead  of  him,  the  wind  lashed  his  face, 
and  the  thrill  of  the  race  grew  keener  when  he  swept 
over  the  first  fence,  hard  upon  the  flying  chestnut's 
heels.  He  dropped  another  length  behind  as  they 
crossed  the  next  field  and  labored  over  the  sticky  plow- 
ing; then  there  was  a  low  fence  and  ditch,  a  narrow 
meadow,  and  then  the  liurdles  Nasmyth  had  mentioned, 
filling  a  gap  in  a  tall  thorn  hedge.  They  were  wattled 
with  branches  wliich  projected  a  foot  or  so  above  them. 

It  did  not  look  an  easy  jump  and  the  grass  was  slip- 
pery and  soft,  but  the  chestnut  accomplished  it  clev- 
erly and  the  bay  flew  at  the  hurdles  with  ever}'  sign 
of  confidence.  Then,  though  Lisle  felt  the  hoofs  slide 
as  the  beast  took  off',  they  were  over  and  flying  faster 
than  ever  across  a  long,  wet  field.  As  they  approached 
the  end  of  the  first  round,  the  chestnut  began  to  drop 
back ;  Lisle  could  let  the  baj'  go  and  he  determined  to 
bring  him  home  the  winner.  It  was  his  first  fast  ride 
in  England ;  and  he  had,  indeed,  seldom  urged  a  horse 
to  its  utmost  pace  —  the  British  Columbian  trails,  for 
the  most  part,  led  steeply  up  or  down  rugged  hillsides, 
where  speed  was  out  of  the  question.  It  was  very  dif- 
ferent  on    these   level    English   meadows,   though   tlie 


194  THE  LONG  PORTAGE 

ground  was  softer  than  usual  and  the  fences  were 
troublesome.  He  rode  with  a  zest  and  ardor  he  had 
hardly  expected  to  feel. 

He  led  at  the  next  fence  and  some  of  the  onlookers 
shouted  encouragement  when,  drawing  a  little  farther 
ahead,  he  once  more  reached  the  sticky  plowed  land. 
Here  the  bay  slowed  a  little,  toiling  across  the  clods, 
but  a  glance  over  his  shoulder  showed  his  opponent 
still  at  least  two  lengths  behind.  Gladwyne,  however, 
now  roused  himself  to  ride  in  earnest.  Hitherto  he 
had  taken  no  great  interest  in  the  proceedings,  but  he 
had  just  seen  Bella  wave  her  hand  to  Lisle  and  then 
Millicent's  applauding  smile.  He  resented  the  fact 
that  both  should  be  pleased  to  see  him  beaten  by  this 
intrusive  stranger.  It  reawakened  his  rancor,  and  the 
strain  of  the  last  week  or  two  had  shaken  him  rather 
badly.  He  was  nervous,  his  self-control  was  weak ;  but 
he  meant  to  pass  his  rival. 

He  was  still  behind  at  the  next  fence,  but  pressing 
his  horse  savagely  he  crept  up  a  little  as  they  ap- 
proached the  one  really  difficult  jump;  and  as  they 
sped  across  the  narrow  meadow  Lisle  fancied  that  the 
bay  was  making  its  last  effort.  Crestwick  was  stand- 
ing near  the  hurdles,  with  Nasmyth  moving  rapidly 
toward  them  not  far  away  and  Bella  running  across  a 
neighboring  field.  Crestwick  watched  Gladwyne  in- 
tently. The  man's  face  was  strangely  eager,  consid- 
ering that  all  he  had  been  asked  to  do  was  to  test  the 
bay's  speed,  and  there  was  a  hardness  in  his  expression 
that  fixed  Crestwick's  attention ;  he  wondered  the  cause 
of  it. 

Bella  was  close  to  him,  when  Lisle,  riding  hard, 
rushed  at  the  hurdles,  and  Jim  found  it  hard  to  repress 


A  BAD  FALL  195 

a  shout  as  the  bay's  hoofs  slipped  and  sHd  on  the 
treacherous  turf.  The  horse  rose,  however;  there  was 
a  heavy  crash ;  wattled  branches  and  the  top  bar  of  the 
hurdle  smashed.  Lisle  lurched  in  his  saddle ;  and  then 
the  bay  came  down  in  a  heap,  with  the  man  beneath 
him. 

It  was  impossible  to  doubt  that  Gladwync  had  seen 
the  accident,  but  the  chestnut  rushed  straight  at  the 
shattered  hurdle,  teeth  bare,  nostrils  dilated,  head 
stretched  forward,  and  Crestwick  thrilled  with  horror. 
The  fallen  horse  was  struggling,  rolling  upon  its  rider, 
just  beyond  the  fence;  but  Gladwyne  did  nothing,  ex- 
cept sit  ready  for  the  leap.  It  was  incomprehensible ; 
so  was  the  look  in  the  man's  face,  which  was  grimly 
set,  as  the  big  chestnut  rose  in  a  graceful  bound. 

Th.ere  was  a  sickening  thud  on  the  other  side,  a 
flounder  of  slipping  hoofs,  and  the  staccato  pounding 
of  the  gallop  broke  out  again.  The  chestnut  had  come 
down  upon  the  fallen  horse  or  helpless  man,  and  was 
going  on,  uncontrollable.  Crestwick  rushed  madly  at 
the  hedge,  and  scrambling  through,  badly  scratched 
and  bareheaded,  found  Nasmyth  trying  to  drag  Lisle 
clear  of  the  bay.  The  Canadian's  eyes  were  half  open, 
but  there  was  no  expression  in  them ;  one  arm  and  shoul- 
der looked  distorted,  and  his  face  was  gray.  Half-way 
across  the  field  Gladwync  was  strugghng  savagely  with 
the  plunging  chestnut. 

"  Get  hold !  "  ordered  Nasmyth  hoarsely.  "  Some 
bones  broken,  by  the  look  of  him;  but  he'll  have  his 
brains  knocked  out  in  another  moment." 

Crestwick  was  cruelly  kicked  as  the  bay  rolled  in 
agony,  striking  with  its  hoofs ;  but  he  stuck  to  his 
task,  and  with  some  difficulty  they  dragged  Lisle  out 


19G  THE  LONG  PORTAGE 

of  danger.  When  they  had  accomphshed  it,  Marple 
came  running  up  with  two  or  three  others  and  Nasmyth 
called  to  him. 

"  Came  in  the  car,  didn't  you?  Go  off  for  Irvine 
as  hard  as  you  can  drive.  Drop  somebody  at  my  place 
to  run  back  with  a  gun." 

Marple  swung  round  and  set  off  across  the  field,  and 
Crestwick  understood  why  the  gun  was  wanted  when 
he  glanced  at  the  fallen  horse.  Nasmyth  informed 
him  that  nothing  could  be  done  until  the  doctor  came, 
and  he  turned  away  toward  where  his  sister  was  wait- 
ina*.  His  forehead  and  hands  were  torn  and  he  was 
conscious  of  a  bad  ache  in  his  back  where  a  hoof  had 
struck,  but  these  things  scarcely  troubled  him.  He 
was  overwhelmed,  horror-stricken ;  and  the  shock  of 
seeing  Lisle  crushed  and  senseless  was  not  the  only 
cause  of  it.  Bella,  gasping  after  her  run,  with  hair 
shaken  loose  about  her  face,  seemed  to  be  suffering 
from  the  same  sensation  that  unnerved  him. 

"  Is  he  dead.?  "  she  asked  falteringly. 

"  No.     Badly  hurt,  I  think." 

"  Ah ! "  she  exclaimed  with  intense  relief.  "  I  was 
most  horribly  afraid."  She  paused  before  she  re- 
sumed :     "  You  were  close  by  the  hurdles." 

Jim  knew  she  meant  that  he  must  have  seen  what 
happened,  but,  shaking  as  he  was,  he  looked  hard  at 
her,  wondering  in  a  half -dazed  fashion  what  reply  he 
should  make.     He  thought  her  suspicions  were  aroused. 

"  You  were  some  way  back ;  you  couldn't  have  seen 
anything  plainly,"  he  ventured. 

"  I  was  very  near  —  looking  back  toward  them  — 
when  they  crossed  the  field  before  the  jump.  You've 
gone  all  to  pieces.     What  did  you  see.?  " 


A  BAD  FALL  197 

"  I  can't  talk  about  it  now,"  Jim  broke  out.  "  He's 
coming  back." 

Gladwyne  had  dismounted  and  was  with  some  diffi- 
culty leading  the  chestnut  toward  the  hedge.  His  face 
was  white;  he  moved  with  a  strong  suggestion  of  re- 
luctance ;  and  when  he  reached  the  spot  where  Lisle 
lay  he  seemed  to  have  trouble  in  speaking. 

"  Is  it  dangerous?  "  he  asked. 

"  I  can't  tell,"  Nasmyth  answered  sternly.  **  Shoul- 
der's smashed;  don't  know  if  that's  the  worst.  Why 
didn't  you  pull  up  the  brute  or  send  him  at  the  hedge 
to  the  right.''  " 

"  He's  hard  in  the  mouth  —  you  know  his  temper. 
You  couldn't  have  turned  him." 

"  I'd  have  tried,  if  I'd  had  to  bring  him  down  and 
break  his  neck  !  " 

Nasmyth  checked  himself,  for  this  was  not  the  time 
for  recriminations,  and  ]Millicent,  who  had  been  run- 
ning hard,  brushed  past  them.  She  did  not  stop  until 
she  bent  over  Lisle.  Then  she  turned  to  Nasmyth  with 
fear  in  her  strained  expression. 

"  I  think  he'll  get  over  it/'  Nasmyth  told  her.  "  I 
won't  take  the  responsibilit}-  of  having  him  moved  un- 
til the  doctor  arrives." 

"  Quite  right,"  agreed  Batlcy,  walking  up  and  cast- 
ing a  swift  and  searching  glanco  at  Gladwyne. 

"  But  you  can't  let  him  lie  on  the  wet  grass ! "  Mil- 
licent  expostulated. 

"  I'm  afraid  we  must ;  it's  safest,"  said  Batley. 
"  The  shock's  not  so  much  to  be  dreaded  with  a  man 
of  his  kind." 

He  and  Nasmyth  took  charge  of  the  situation, 
sternly  refusing  to  listen  to  all  well-meant  suggestions, 


198  THE  LONG  PORTAGE 

until  at  last  the  doctor  and  Marple  came  hurrj^Ing 
across  the  field.  The  former  hastily  examined  the  in- 
jured man  and  then  looked  up  at  Nasmyth. 

"  Upper  arm  gone,  close  to  the  shoulder  joint,"  he 
announced.  "  Collar-bone  too.  I'll  give  him  some 
brandy.     Shout  to  those  fellows  with  the  stretcher." 

He  was  busy  for  some  time,  and  in  the  meanwhile 
Batley  picked  up  the  flask  he  had  laid  down  and  handed 
it  to  Gladwyne. 

"  Take  a  good  drink  and  pull  yourself  together," 
he  said  quietly. 

At  length  Lisle  was  gently  lifted  on  to  the  stretcher, 
and  as  they  carried  him  away  the  report  of  a  gun  ran 
out.  The  onlookers  dispersed  and  Gladwyne  was  walk- 
ing home  alone  when  Millicent  overtook  him.  She  was 
puzzled  by  his  limp  appearance  and  the  expression  of 
his  haggard  face.  It  was  only  natural  that  he  should 
keenly  feel  his  responsibility  for  the  accident,  but 
tills  did  not  quite  seem  to  account  for  the  man's 
condition.  He  looked  absolutely  unnerved,  like  one 
who  had  barely  escaped  from  some  appalling  catas- 
trophe. 

"  You  shouldn't  take  it  quite  so  much  to  heart,"  she 
comforted  him.  "  I  don't  think  Irvine  felt  any  great 
uneasiness ;  and  nobody  could  blame  you." 

"  You're  the  only  one  who  has  said  so,"  he  answered 
moodily. 

"  They  couldn't ;  you  stole  away.  Of  course,  it's  a 
great  pity  —  I'm  distressed  —  but  you  must  try  to  be 
sensible.     These  accidents  happen." 

He  walked  on  a  while  in  silence,  and  then  with  an 
effort  looked  around  at  her. 

*'  Millicent,"  he  said,  "  you're  wonderfully  generous 


A  BAD  FALL  199 

—  the  sight  of  anybody  in  trouble  stirs  you  —  but  I 
don't  feel  able  to  bear  your  synipatliy." 

"  Then  I'll  have  to  offer  it  to  Lisle,"  she  smiled. 
"But  I'll  walk  with  you  to  the  lodge;  and  then  you 
had  belter  go  in  and  keep  quiet  until  you  get  back 
your  nerve." 

When  she  left  Gladwyne  she  went  on  to  Nasmyth's, 
where  she  waited  until  the  doctor  on  leaving  told  her 
that  he  was  perfectly  satisfied  with  the  prospect  for  the 
Canadian's  recovery.  It  would,  he  said,  be  merely  a 
question  of  lying  still  for  a  considerable  time.  Milli- 
cent  was  conscious  of  a  relief  which  puzzled  her  by  its 
intensity  as  she  heard  the  news,  but  she  asked  Nasmyth 
to  send  somebody  to  inform  Gladwyne. 

"  I  think  he's  desperately  anxious  and  feeling  the 
thing  vcrj'  badly,"  she  concluded. 

"  Then  he  could  have  come  over  to  inquire,  as  you 
have  done,"  Nasmyth  answered.  "  In  mj'  opinion,  he 
deserves  to  be  uncomfortable." 

"  Why  are  you  so  hard  on  him  ?  " 

The  man's  face  grew  grim. 

"  I've  had  to  help  Irvine  with  Lisle,  for  one  thing. 
We  were  satisfied  that  his  injuries  were  not  caused  by 
the  bay  rolling  on  him ;  he  seems  to  have  escaped  from 
that  with  a  few  bad  bruises.  The  worst  of  the  acci- 
dent might  have  been  avoided  if  Clarence  had  had 
nerve  enough." 

"  But  30U  couldn't  blame  him  very  greatly  for  losing 
his  head  —  he  had  no  warning,  scarcely'  a  moment  to 
think.     It  was  so  sudden." 

"  The  result's  the  same,"  retorted  Nasmyth.  "  Lisle 
has  to  pay.  But  to  please  you  I'll  send  Clarence  word 
that  Irvine's  not  anxious  about  him." 


CHAPTER  XVIII 

A    PEUDEXT    DECISION 

IT  had  been  dark  some  time  and  the  night  was  raw, 
but  Jim  Crestwick  strolled  up  and  down  the  drive 
to  Mai-ple's  house,  thinking  unusually  hard.  In 
the  first  place,  part  at  least  of  the  folly  of  his  conduct 
during  the  last  year  or  two  had  been  plainly  brought 
home  to  him,  and  the  realization  was  bitter.  It  was 
galling  to  discover  that  while  he  had  regarded  himself 
as  a  man  of  the  world  he  had  been  s3-stematically  vic- 
timized b}-  the  men  who  had  encouraged  him  in  the  de- 
lusion, Ke  felt  verv  sore  as  he  remembered  how  much 
he  owed  Batlej-,  but  this  troubled  him  less  than  the 
downright  abhorrence  of  Gladwyne  which  had  suddenly 
possessed  him.  He  had  looked  up  to  the  latter  as  a 
model  and  had  tried  to  copy  his  manners ;  and  it  was 
chiefly  because  Batley  was  a  friend  of  Gladwyne's  that 
he  had  paid  toll  to  him.  For  he  had  felt  that  whatever 
the  man  he  admired  was  willing  to  countenance  must 
be  the  correct  thing.  Now  he  saw  Gladwyne  as  he 
really  was  —  a  betrayer  of  those  who  trusted  him,  a 
counterfeit  of  an  honorable  type,  one  who  had  by  the 
merest  chance  escaped  from  crime. 

In  the  second  place,  he  was  concerned  about  Bella. 
She  had  obviously  been  attracted  by  Gladwyne,  and  it 
was  his  duty  to  warn  her.  Whether  the  warning  was 
altogether  necessary  he  could  not  tell  —  he  had  watched 
her  face  that  morning  —  and  Bella  sometimes  resented 

200 


A  PRUDENT  DECISION  201 

advice.  When  slic  did  so,  she  had  an  exasperating 
trick  of  putting  liim  in  the  wrong;  but  he  meant  to 
speak  to  her  as  plainly  as  appeared  desirable.  He 
had  another  duty  —  to  Lisle ;  but  he  was  inclined  to 
think  that  on  the  whole  he  had  better  not  saddle  him- 
self with  it.  His  self-confidence  had  been  rudely 
shaken  and  he  recognized  the  possibility  of  his  making 
things  worse.  Moreover,  he  had  cultivated  the  pi'ide 
of  caste,  and  having  with  some  difficulty  obtained  an 
entry  to  the  circle  in  which  Gladwyne  moved,  he  felt  it 
incumbent  on  him  to  guard  the  honor  of  all  who  be- 
longed to  it. 

Presently  Bella  came  out,  as  he  had  anticipated,  and 
joined  him. 

"  You  have  been  very  quiet  since  this  morning," 
she  began.  "  I  saw  that  you  meant  to  slip  away  as 
soon  as  you  could." 

"  Yes,"  he  admitted ;  "  I've  had  something  to  think 
about  —  I've  been  a  fool,  Bella ;  the  commonest,  most 
easily  gulled  kind  of  imbecile !  " 

He  had  expected  her  to  remind  liim  that  she  had 
more  than  once  tried  to  convince  him  of  this,  but  she 
failed  to  do  so.  Instead,  she  answered  with  a  touch  of 
the  candor  that  sometimes  characterized  her. 

"  You're  not  the  onl}^  one." 

This  was  satisfactory,  for  it  suggested  that  she  had 
been  undeceived  about  Gladwyne ;  but  she  had  not  fin- 
ished. 

"  What  did  you  see  this  morning.''  "  she  asked,  and 
he  felt  that  she  was  speaking  with  keen  anxiety. 

"  I'll  tell  you,  but  it  must  never  go  any  farther.  I 
hate  to  think  of  it !  But  first  of  all,  what  makes  you 
ask?" 


202  THE  LONG  PORTAGE 

She  had  already  mentioned  that  she  had  been  near 
when  Gladwyne  made  his  attempt  to  come  up  with  Lisle, 
but  she  had  not  explained  that  she  had  seen  hatred 
stamped  in  hideous  plainness  on  his  face. 

"  Never  mind,"  she  answered  sharply.     "  Go  on  !  " 

"  Well,"  said  Jim,  "  I  was  standing  right  against 
the  hedge,  the  only  person  on  that  side,  and  I  don't 
think  Gladwyne  saw  me.  Lisle's  bay  fouled  the  top 
bar  of  the  hurdle,  but  it  hield  long  enough  to  bring  him 
down  in  a  heap.  Gladwyne  was  then  a  length  or  two 
behind.  He  rode  straight  at  the  broken  hurdle,  hands 
still  —  I  can't  get  his  look  out  of  ni}'  mind  !  " 

"  But  perhaps  he  couldn't  pull  up,"  Bella  defended 
him  desperately,  as  if  she  would  not  believe  the  truth 
she  dreaded. 

"  There  were  other  ways  open.  He  could  have  gone 
at  the  hedge  a  yard  or  two  on  one  side ;  he  could  have 
spoiled  the  chestnut's  take-off  and  made  him  jump 
short.  It  might  have  brought  him  down  —  the  hur- 
dle was  firm  in  the  ground  —  but  that  would  have  been 
better  than  riding  over  a  fallen  man !  " 

"  Are  you  sure  he  did  nothing,?  " 

"  I  wish  I  were  not !  The  thing's  horrible !  Glad- 
wyne must  have  seen  that  he'd  come  down  on  Lisle  or 
the  struggling  bay  —  he  could  have  prevented  it  — 
he  didn't  try." 

Bella  shivered.  Her  brother  was  right:  it  was  al- 
most beyond  contemplation.  But  that  was  only  half 
of  the  matter. 

"  He  must  have  had  a  reason,"  she  argued  harshly. 

"  Yes ;  one  doesn't  ride  over  a  man  In  cold-blood  for 
nothing.  I  think  he  had  some  cause  for  being  afraid 
of  Lisle;  several  things  I  remember  now  point  to  it. 


A  PRUDENT  DECISION  203 

His  chance  came  suddenly  —  nobody  could  have  ar- 
ranged it  —  he  only  remembered  that  Lisle  with  his 
brains  ci'ushed  out  could  do  him  no  harm." 

The  ijirl  recognized  that  Jim  had  guessed  correctly. 
When  she  had  gone  to  Lisle  for  help,  he  had  allowed 
her  to  understand  that  he  could  compel  Gladwyne's 
compliance  with  his  request,  which  was  significant. 
Still,  convinced  as  she  was,  she  would  not  openly  ac- 
quiesce in  her  brother's  theory. 

"  Jim,"  she  protested,  "  if  he'd  ridden  at  the  hedge 
or  made  the  chestnut  jump  short,  he  might  have  broken 
his  own  neck.  Pie  must  have  realized  it  —  it  would 
make  him  hesitate." 

The  lad  laughed  scornfully- 

"  It's  quite  possible,  but  is  that  any  excuse.''  Would 
Nasmyth  or  Lisle  or  Batley  have  shirked  a  risk  that 
would  mean  the  saving  of  the  other  fellow .''  Suppos- 
ing your  idea's  right  —  though  it  isn't  —  it  only  shows 
the  man  as  a  disgusting  coward." 

There  was  no  gainsaying  this ;  and  Bella  was  crushed 
and  humiliated.  She  had  already  seen  Gladwyne's 
weakness,  and  after  the  choice  she  had  been  compelled 
to  make  between  him  and  her  brother,  she  had  tried  to 
drive  all  thought  of  him  out  of  her  mind.  It  had  been 
difficult ;  he  was  fascinating  in  many  ways  and  she  had 
set  her  heart  upon  his  capture.  Now  she  had  done 
with  him ;  after  the  morning's  revelation  she  shrank 
from  him  with  positive  horror.  Jim  seemed  to  guess 
this. 

"  I'm  sorry,  Bella,"  he  said  gently.  "  But  the  fel- 
low's impossible." 

She  laid  her  hand  upon  his  ann. 

"  Jim,"  she  replied,  "  we  have  both  been  mad,  and 


204-  THE  LONG  PORTAGE 

I  suppose  we  must  pay  for  it.  I'll  help  you  to  get 
clear  of  Batley  when  the  time  comes,  but  you  must 
never  have  a  deal  of  any  kind  with  him  again." 

"  That's  promised ;  I've  had  my  lesson.  I  think  I'll 
ask  Lisle  to  take  me  with  him  when  he  goes  back  to 
Canada.  He  and  Nasmyth  are  the  only  men  worth 
speaking  of  I've  met  for  a  long  while.  When  Lisle 
first  came  here  I  tried  to  patronize  him." 

Bella  laughed,  rather  feebly,  but  she  wanted  to  re- 
lieve the  tension. 

"  It  was  like  you.  But  we'll  go  in.  This  is  our 
secret,  Jim.  Nobody  would  believe  you  if  you  let  fall 
a  hint  as  to  what  really  happened,  and  there  are  many 
reasons  why  you  shouldn't.  I  think  you  said  nobody 
else  could  have  suspected.''  " 

"  Nasmyth  hadn't  come  up  when  the  chestnut 
reached  the  hurdles ;  he  was  the  nearest.  Lisle  was 
down  with  the  horse  upon  him.  He  couldn't  have  seen 
an3'thing." 

"  Well,"  she  decided,  "  perhaps  that's  fortunate.  It 
isn't  likely  that  Gladwyne  will  get  such  an  opportunity 
again,  and  at  the  worst  he  acted  on  the  spur  of  the 
moment." 

The  lad  nodded.  He  had  felt  that  silence  would 
entail  some  responsibility,  but  Bella  accepted  it  with- 
out uneasiness.  She  seldom  showed  any  hesitation 
Avhen  she  had  decided  on  a  course. 

In  the  meanwhile,  Gladwyne  had  spent  a  miserable 
day,  alternating  between  horror  of  himself  and  doubts 
about  the  future.  Jim  Crestwick's  description  of  the 
incident  was  correct  —  Gladwyne  had  ridden  straight 
at  the  broken  hurdle,  knowing  what  the  consequences 
might  be  and  disregarding  them.     The  next  moment, 


A  PRUDENT  DECISION  205 

however,  the  reaction  had  begun  and  he  was  thankful 
that  he  had  not  connnitted  a  hideous  crime.  Indeed, 
the  knowledge  that  he  had  come  so  near  to  killing  his 
opponent  had  left  him  badly  shaken.  He  wondered  at 
his  insensate  action  until  he  recollected  how  he  had  once 
stood  beside  an  opened  cache  in  Canada,  and  then,  ig- 
noring his  manifest  duty,  had  hurried  on  through  the 
frozen  wilderness.  On  that  occasion  he  had  been  ac- 
countable for  his  cousin's  death,  and  now  Lisle  had 
very  narrowly  escaped. 

Yet  he  could  with  justice  acquit  himself  of  any  pre- 
meditated intention  in  either  case ;  fate  had  thrust  him 
into  a  situation  he  was  not  strong  enough  to  grapple 
with.  Dreading  Lisle,  as  he  did,  his  chief  thought 
had  been  for  his  own  safety  when  he  saw  the  bay  blun- 
der at  the  leap.  To  save  the  Canadian  he  must  take 
a  serious  personal  risk,  which  Avas  foreign  to  his  nature, 
and  though  a  recognition  of  the  fact  that  the  death 
of  the  fallen  man  would  be  a  great  relief  to  him  had 
been  clearly  in  his  mind,  it  was  impossible  to  say  how 
far  it  had  actuated  him. 

He  had  grown  more  collected  when  he  sat  in  his 
library  as  dusk  was  closing  in,  considering  other  as- 
pects of  the  affair.  He  had  not  seen  Crestwick,  and 
Lisle,  he  thought,  would  remember  nothing  except  his 
fall.  After  trying  to  recall  tlie  positions  of  the  others, 
he  felt  comforted;  nobody  could  charge  him  with  any- 
thing worse  than  reckless  riding  or  a  failure  of  nerve 
at  a  critical  moment.  He  would  confess  to  the  latter 
—  it  was  to  some  extent  the  truth  —  and  show  concern 
about  Lisle's  injury.  Awkward  as  it  was,  the  incident 
could  be  smothered  over ;  it  was  consoling  to  remember 
that  the  people  he  lived  among  were  addicted  to  treat- 


206  THE  LONG  PORTAGE 

ing  anything  of  an  unpleasant  nature  as  liglitly  as 
possible.  There  was  a  good  deal  to  be  said  for  the 
sensible  English  custom  of  ignoring  what  it  would  be 
disconcerting  to  realize. 

After  a  while  his  mother  came  in  and  gently  touched 
him. 

"  My  dear,"  she  urged,  "  you  mustn't  brood  over  it. 
Lisle's  condition's  satisfactory.  As  it's  some  hours 
since  we  got  Nasmyth's  message,  I  sent  a  man  over  and 
he  has  just  come  back." 

"  I'm  glad  you  sent,"  Gladwyne  responded.  "  It 
was  thoughtful.  I  forgot ;  but  I've  been  badly  trou- 
bled." 

She  sat  down  near  him,  with  her  hand  laid  cares- 
singly on  his  arm. 

"  It's  natural ;  I  understand  and  feel  for  you.  I 
wouldn't  have  liked  you  to  be  indifferent ;  but  you 
mustn't  make  too  much  of  it.  The  man  is  strong,  he 
will  soon  be  about  again,  and  you  couldn't  have  saved 
him.  Everj'body  I've  seen  so  far  has  given  me  that 
impression.  Of  course,  I  didn't  need  their  assurances, 
but  I  was  glad  to  see  they  exonerated  and  sympathized 
with  you." 

Her  confidence  hurt  him ;  he  had  still  a  sense  of 
shame,  and  he  found  no  great  comfort  in  what  she 
told  him.  His  mother  was  generally  loved,  and  he 
wondered  how  far  his  neighbors  had  been  influenced  by 
a  desire  to  save  her  pain. 

"  It  looks  as  if  Lisle  deserves  their  commiseration 
more  than  I  do,"  he  answered  with  a  smile  which  cost 
him  an  eff"ort. 

"  It  is  being  shown.  I  noticed  nearly  everybody  in 
the  neighborhood  motoring  or  driving  toward  the  house 


A  PRUDENT  DECISION  207 

during  the  afternoon.  Milllcent's  with  Nasmjth  now, 
lielping  to  arrange  things.  It's  wonderful  what  a 
favorite  Lisle  has  become  in  so  short  a  time ;  but  I  own 
that  I  find  something  very  hkable  about  him." 

Gladwyne  moved  impatiently.  His  hatred  of  the 
man  was  as  strong  as  ever,  and  his  mother's  attempts 
at  consolation  irritated  him.  Lisle  was  too  popular; 
first  Bella  and  now  jMiUicent  had  taken  him  in 
hand. 

'*  Millicent,"  IVIrs.  Gladwyne  went  on,  "  is  an  excep- 
tional woman  in  every  desirable  respect.  I  think  you 
have  long  been  as  convinced  of  that  as  I  am." 

"  I'm  afraid  she  can't  have  an  equally  favorable 
opinion  of  me,"  he  said  with  a  short  laugh. 

"  One  does  not  look  for  perfection  in  a  man,"  his 
mother  informed  him  seriously.  "  He  is  criticized 
much  less  severely  than  a  woman.  It  seems  to  be  the 
universal  rule,  though  I  have  sometimes  thought  it 
wasn't  absolutely  just  and  that  it  had  its  drawbacks. 
It's  one  of  the  things  the  women  who  go  out  and  speak 
are  declaiming  against  and  something  one  of  them 
lately  said  sticks  in  my  mind."  She  sighed  as  she 
added :  "  The  times  are  changing ;  there  was  no  need 
to  consider  such  questions  in  3'our  father's  case.  He 
was  the  soul  of  honor  —  you  were  very  young  when 
death  parted  us." 

She  did  not  always  express  herself  clearly,  but  Glad- 
wyne saw  that  she  did  not  place  him  in  the  same  cate- 
gory as  his  father  and  he  recognized  her  half-fornm- 
lated  thought  that  it  would  have  been  better  had  he 
grown  up  under  the  latter's  firmer  guidance. 

"  Wonders  never  cease,  mother,"  he  responded  with 
an   attempt   at   lightness.     "  It's   difficult   to    imagine 


208  THE  LONG  PORTAGE 

3'our  being  influenced  by   tlie   latest  propaganda.     I 
thought  3'ou  shuddered  at  it." 

"  Well,"  she  said,  "  I  was  forgetting  what  I  meant 
to  talk  about,  drifting  away  from  the  subject;  I'm 
afraid  it's  a  habit  of  mine.  What  I  have  long  felt  is 
that  it  would  be  so  desirable  if  you  married  suitably." 

"  The  trouble  is  to  define  the  suitability.  It's  a 
point  upon  which  everybody  has  a  different  opinion." 

"  I  would  choose  a  girl  of  good  family  and  educa- 
tion for  you,  one  with  a  well-balanced  will,  who  could 
see  what  was  right  and  cling  to  it.  Still,  she  must  be 
wise  and  gentle ;  a  tactful,  considerate  guide ;  and 
though  means  are  not  of  first  importance,  they  are  not 
to  be  despised." 

Gladwyne  leaned  back  in  his  chair  with  a  laugh  that 
had  in  it  a  tinse  of  irritation. 

"  Are  such  girls  numerous  ?  But  why  do  you  insist 
on  a  will  and  the  power  of  guiding?  It  looks  as  if 
you  thouglit  I  needed  it.  Sometimes  you're  the  reverse 
of  flattering." 

Ilis  mother  looked  troubled ;  she  would  have  wounded 
no  living  creature  unnecessarily. 

"  My  dear,  it's  not  always  easy  to  express  what  one 
feels,  and  I  dare  say  I'm  injudicious  in  choosing  my 
w^ords.     But  your  welfare  is  verj^  near  to  my  heart." 

"  I  know  that,"  he  answered  gently.  "  But  you  were 
not  describing  an  imaginary  paragon.  Hadn't  you 
Millicent  in  your  mind.'^  " 

"  I  should  be  very  happy  if  I  could  welcome  her  as 
my  daughter.      I  should  feel  that  you  were  safe  then." 

There  was  a  thrill  of  regret  in  her  voice  that  touched 
him.  It  hinted  that  she  blamed  herself  for  omissions 
and  lack  of  wisdom  in  his  upbringing.     Besides,  her 


A  PRUDENT  DECISION  209 

confidence  in  any  one  who  had  won  her  respect,  as  MllII- 
cent  had  done,  was  bestowed  so  generously. 

"  I'm  afraid  I've  often  given  you  trouble,  and  I  do 
you  little  credit  now,"  he  said.  "  But,  as  to  the  other 
matter,  one  can't  be  sure  that  iNIillicent  would  welcome 
the  idea.  Of  late  I've  had  a  suspicion  that  she  hasn't 
a  very  high  opinion  of  me," 

"  You  could  hardly  expect  to  gain  it  by  devoting 
yourself  to  Miss  Crestwick." 

The  man  smiled  rather  grimly. 

"  If  it's  any  consolation  to  you,  I'm  inclined  to  think 
that  jMiss  Crestwick  has  let  me  drop.  The  truth's  not 
very  flattering,  but  I  can't  hide  it." 

Mrs.  Gladwyne's  relief  was  obvious,  but  she  had 
more  to  sa}-  and  she  ventured  upon  it  with  some  cour- 
age. 

"  If  you  would  only  get  rid  of  Batlcy  too !  " 

"I  can  hardly  do  that  just  now;  he's  useful  in  sev- 
eral ways.      Still,  of  course,  if  I  married  — " 

He  broke  off  abruptly,  for  his  mother  had  occasional 
flashes  of  discernment. 

"  Millicent  has  means,"  she  said. 

He  started  at  this,  wondering  how  much  she  had 
guessed,  but  he  veiled  his  embarrassment  with  a  smile. 

"  Well,"  he  acknowledged,  "  means,  as  you  most 
wisely  remarked,  are  not  to  be  despised,  and  mine  are 
unfortunately    small." 

She  saw  that  she  had  said  enough  and  she  left  him 
sitting  in  the  darkening  room  thinking  rather  hard. 
Bella  had  thrown  h.im  over  when  he  had  refused  to  help 
her  brother,  and  there  were  many  ways  in  which  Milli- 
cent appealed  to  him.  Besides,  she  could  free  him  of 
his  debt  to  Batley,  which  was  a  thing  greatly-  to  be 


210  THE  LONG  PORTAGE 

desired.  She  had  shown  ihat  she  did  not  blame  him 
severely  for  the  accident  at  the  hurdles,  but  he  realized 
that  in  trying  to  comfort  him  she  had  been  prompted 
by  pity  for  his  dejected  mood,  and  it  was  clear  that  the 
part  he  had  pla^-ed  was  scarcely  likely  to  raise  him  in 
her  esteem.  This  was  unfortunate,  but  he  would  not 
dwell  on  it ;  there  were  other  points  to  consider  and 
anything  that  served  to  divert  his  thoughts  from  the 
unfortunate  affair  was  a  vast  relief. 

When  at  last  he  rose  he  had  partly  recovered  his 
usual  equanimity  and  had  decided  that  he  would  watch 
for  some  sign  of  Millicent's  feelings  toward  him.  He 
was  aware  that  they  had  somewhat  changed,  but  this 
was  to  a  large  extent  his  fault,  and  with  caution  and 
patience  he  thought  it  might  be  possible  to  reinstate 
himself  in  her  favor. 


CHAPTER  XIX 

GLADWYNE    GAINS    A    POINT 

SOME  weeks  had  passed  since  the  accident  and 
Lisle  was  lying  one  afternoon  on  a  couch  near 
a  window  of  Nasmyth's  sitting-room.  Two  or 
three  Canadian  newspapers  lay  on  the  floor  and  he 
held  a  few  letters  in  one  hand.  The  prospect  outside 
was  cheerless  —  a  stretch  of  leaden-colored  moor  run- 
ning back  into  a  lowering  sky,  with  a  sweep  of  fir 
wood  that  had  lost  all  distinctive  coloring  in  the  fore- 
ground. He  was  gazing  at  it  moodily  when  Millicent 
came  in.  His  face  brightened  at  the  sight  of  her,  and 
he  raised  himself  awkwardly  with  his  uninjured  ann, 
but  she  shook  her  head  at  him  in  reproof. 

"  You  had  orders  to  keep  as  quiet  as  possible  for 
some  time  yet.     Lie  down  again  !  " 

"  Keeping  quiet  is  fast  breaking  me  up,"  he  pro- 
tested.    "  I'm  quite  able  to  move  about." 

"  All  the  same,  you're  not  to  try." 

He  looked  at  her  with  a  twinkle  in  his  eyes. 

"  Then  I  suppose  I'll  have  to  give  in.  You're  a 
determined  person.  People  do  what  you  ask  them 
without  resenting  it.  You  have  an  instance  here, 
though  in  a  general  way  it's  a  very  undignified  thing  to 
be  ordered  about." 

He  resumed  his  former  position  and  she  seated  her- 
self. 

211 


212  THE  LONG  PORTAGE 


»j 


"  I  don't  see  why  you  should  drag  my  character  in, 
she  objected  with  a  smile.     "  Other  people  who  occa- 
sionally obey  me  don't  say  such  things." 

"  They're  English ;  that  accounts  for  a  good  deal. 
I'm  inclined  to  think  my  power  of  expressing  my  feel- 
ings on  any  point  is  a  gift,  though  it's  one  that's  not 
uncommon  in  the  West." 

"  Doesn't  it  presuppose  an  assurance  that  any  one 
you  address  must  be  interested  in  3^our  views  ?  " 

"  I  deserv^e  that,"  he  laughed ;  "  but  you're  not  quite 
right.  We  say,  in  effect,  '  These  are  my  sentiments, 
but  I  won't  be  down-hearted  if  you  haven't  the  sense  to 
agree  with  them.'  The  last,  however,  doesn't  apply  to 
you." 

"  Thank  you  for  the  explanation,"  she  rejoined. 
"But  why  do  you  insist  on  a  national  difference.'' 
You're  really  English,  aren't  you,  in  Canada?  '* 

"  No,"  he  answered ;  "  you  and  the  others  who  talk 
in  that  strain  are  mistaken.  We're  a  brand  new  nation 
still  fusing  and  fuming  in  the  melting-pot.  The  ele- 
ments are  inharmonious  in  some  respects  —  French 
from  the  Laurentian  littoral,  Ontario  Scots,  Americans, 
Scandinavians,  Teutons,  Magyars,  Slavs.  The  Eng- 
lish element's  barely  strong  enough  to  temper  the  mix- 
ture ;  the  land's  too  wide  and  the  people  too  varied  for 
British  traditions  to  bind.  When  the  cooling  amal- 
gam's run  out  it  will  be  into  a  fresh  mold." 

"  One  made  in  Pennsylvania,  or  wherever  the  Ameri- 
can foundries  are.^" 

"  They  run  the  one  you  have  in  mind  at  Washing- 
ton. You  understand  things  a  good  deal  better  than 
many  people  I've  talked  to  here ;  but  you're  not  right 
yet.      If   Canadians    deliberately    chose   the   American 


GLADWYNE  GAINS  A  POINT  213 

mold  because  it  was  American,  a  number  of  us  would 
kick ;  but  the  cause  is  a  bigger  one  than  that.  From 
Texas  to  Athabasca,  from  Florida  to  Labrador,  pretty 
much  the  same  elemental  forces  are  fanning  the  melt- 
ing fires.  We  have  the  same  human  raw  material ; 
we've  much  the  same  problems  to  tackle ;  the  conditions 
are,  or  soon  will  be,  pretty  similar.  It's  only  natural 
that  the  result  should  be  more  or  less  identical.  I've 
said  nothing  3-et  about  our  commercial  and  social  re- 
lations with  our  neighbors," 

"  But  doesn't  England  count.''  " 

"  Morally,  yes.  It's  your  part  to  keep  our  respect 
and  show  us  a  clean  lead." 

"After  all,"  she  rejoined,  "  3'ou,  in  particular,  are 
essentially  English  by  connection  with  the  part  of  the 
country  you're  now  staying  in." 

He  smiled  curiously. 

"  So  you  or  Nasmyth  have  been  tracing  up  the 
family !  " 

"  No,"  she  replied  with  a  little  sharpness.  "  Why 
should  I  have  done  so  ?  Of  course,  we  knew  the  name ; 
and  you  have  relations  living  at  no  great  distance.  I 
understand  Nasmyth  got  a  hint  that  they  would  be 
glad  to  receive  you." 

"  Let  it  go  at  that,"  he  answered.  "  ]\Iy  father  was 
cast  out  because  he  dared  to  think  for  himself  and  my 
mother  was  Canadian  born.  I'm  a  unit  in  the  new  na- 
tion ;  one  of  the  rank  and  file." 

She  considered  this  for  a  moment  or  two.  It  was 
hardly  an  English  point  of  view,  but  —  for  his  family 
had  long  been  one  of  station  —  there  was  a  hint  of 
pride  that  struck  her  as  rather  fine  about  this  renuncia- 
tion.    It  was  a  risky  thing  to  insist  on  being  taken  at 


214  THE  LONG  PORTAGE 

one's  intrinsic  value,  stripped  of  all  accidental  associa- 
tions that  miglit  enhance  it,  but  she  thought  he  need 
not  shrink  from  the  hazard.  Now  and  then  he  spoke 
with  slightly  injudicious  candor,  and  sometimes  too 
vehemently,  but  in  essential  matters  he  displayed  an 
admirable  delicacy  of  feeling  and  she  recognized  in 
him  a  sterling  sense  of  honor. 

"  I've  broken  loose  again  and  you're  feeling 
shocked,"  he  said  humorously.  "  It's  your  own  fault ; 
you  have  a  way  of  making  one  talk.  There's  no  use 
in  discoursing  to  people  who  don't  understand.  How- 
ever —  and  it's  much  more  important  —  how's  the  book 
getting  on?  " 

"  More  important  than  my  wounded  susceptibili- 
ties ?  "  Millicent  laughed.  "  But  we  won't  mind  them. 
I'm  pleased  to  say  I've  heard  from  the  publishers  that 
it's  in  strong  request.  Indeed,  they  add,  rather  super- 
fluously, that  the  demand  is  somewhat  remarkable,  con- 
sidering the  nature  of  the  work." 

Lisle  laughed  at  this. 

"  Any  more  reviews?  " 

She  handed  him  several  and  he  noticed  the  guarded, 
un enthusiastic  tone  of  the  first  two. 

"  These  are  the  people  who  prefer  a  thing  like  a 
catalogue.  This  fellow  says  the  first  portion  of  the 
book  shows  most  care  in  particulars  and  classification 
—  it's  what  one  would  expect  from  him.  That  was 
your  brother's  work,  I  think.  He  was  not  an  imag- 
inative person." 

"  No,"  replied  INIillicent.  *'  He  was  eminently  prac- 
tical and  methodical." 

"  There's  a  great  deal  to  be  said  in  favor  of  that 
kind  of  man.     You  can  trust  him  when  it's  a  case  of 


GLADWYNE  GAINS  A  POINT  215 

grappling  with  practical  difficulties.  But  I  feel  quite 
angry  with  the  next  reviewer.  '  The  illustrations  are 
rather  impressionist  drawings  than  a  useful  guide  to 
identification.'  The  fellow  would  no  douht  rather  have 
those  stiff,  colored  plates  which  are  about  as  like  the 
real,  breathing  creature  as  a  stuffed  specimen  in  a 
museum." 

Millicent  was  pleased  with  his  indignation,  but  his 
disgusted  expression  changed  as  he  read  the  next  cut- 
ting. 

"  Now,"  he  exclaimed,  "  we're  arriving  at  the  sound 
sense  of  ordinary  people,  lovers  of  nature  who're  not 
naturalists.  This  man's  enthusiastic ;  the  next  re- 
view's even  better !  "  He  took  up  the  others  and  there 
was  keen  satisfaction  in  his  eyes  when  he  laid  thera 
down.  "Great!"  he  ejaculated.  "I  expected  it. 
You've  made  your  mark !  " 

The  girl  thrilled  with  pleasure ;  his  delight  at  her 
success  was  so  genuine. 

"  Well,"  she  told  him,  "  the  publishers  suggest  that 
I  undertake  another  and  more  ambitious  work.  I've 
often  thought  that  I  should  like  to  do  so.  The  lonely 
country  between  the  Rockies  and  the  Pacific  has  a  pe- 
culiar interest  to  me  and  I've  long  had  a  desire  to  fol- 
low my  brother's  trail.  I  don't  think  it's  a  morbid 
wish  —  somehow  I  feel  impelled  to  go." 

"  It's  a  beautiful,  wild  land,  and  the  creatures  that 
inhabit  it  are  among  the  finest  in  the  world.  You 
promised  to  let  me  be  your  guide,  and  you  should  take 
Nasmyth,  too;  he's  a  man  to  be  depended  on.  You 
could  start  in  the  early  summer  next  year." 

She  smiled  at  his  eagerness;  but  he  suddenly  grew 
thoughtful. 


216  THE  LONG  PORTAGE 

"  It's  curious  how  events  seem  to  have  started  beside 
those  lonely  river-reaches  among  the  rocks,"  he  re- 
marked. "  It  was  there  that  I  got  to  know  Nasmyth, 
and  through  him  I  met  you.  It  was  there  that  I 
learned  something  about  your  brother  and  Clarence 
Gladwyne.  The  drama  began  in  those  wilds  and  I've 
a  feeling  that  it  will  end  among  them." 

"  The  drama.''  "  she  queried,  and  he  was  conscious 
that  he  had  made  a  slip. 

"  Well,"  he  answered,  "  before  we  crossed  the  big 
divide  I  wasn't  aware  of  your  existence,  and  I'd 
only  a  hazy  idea  that  I  might  come  to  England 
some  day.  Now,  if  I  ma}'  say  it,  I've  joined  your 
group  of  friends  and  entered  into  their  lives.  One 
feels  it  can't  have  sprung  from  nothing ;  it  isn't  blind 
chance." 

She  mused  for  a  few  moments. 

*'  It's  strange,"  she  asserted,  "  but  I've  had  some- 
thing of  the  same  feeling.  You  seem  to  have  become 
a  part  of  things,  a  connecting  link  between  us  all  — 
Mrs.  Gladwyne,  Clarence,  Nasmyth,  and  even  young 
Crestwick.  One  could  almost  fancy  that  some  mys- 
terious agency  were  working  upon  us  through  you." 

He  did  not  wish  her  to  pursue  this  train  of  thought 
too  far. 

"  I've  promised  to  take  Jim  Crestwick  back  with 
me,"  he  said.  "  I'm  going  as  soon  as  I'm  fit  to  get 
about." 

"  Going  back,  in  a  few  weeks  ?  " 

"  Yes.  In  many  ways,  I'm  sorry  ;  but  I've  had  some 
letters  that  show  it's  needful.      Business  calls." 

She  made  no  reply  for  some  moments.  There  was 
no  doubt  that  she  would  miss  him  badly,  and  she  re- 


GLADWYxNE  GAINS  A  POINT  217 

called  the  strange  and  tense  anxiety  of  which  she  had 
been  conscious  when  he  had  fallen  at  the  hurdles. 

"  We  have  come  to  look  upon  you  as  one  of  us,"  she 
told  liim  simply.  "  Somehow  we  never  contemplated 
your  going  away,  and  now  it  seems  an  almost  unnat- 
ural thing." 

"  It  would  be,  if  I  broke  off  the  connection  with  my 
English  friends,  but  I  think  that  can't  be  done.  We're 
to  see  more  of  each  other;  I'm  to  be  your  guide  when 
you  come  out  next  year." 

"  It's  very  likely  that  I  shall  come." 

She  left  him  shortly  after  this  and  walked  home  in 
a  thoughtful  mood,  regretting  his  approaching  de- 
parture and  pondering  over  what  he  had  said.  With 
reflection  it  became  clearer  that  she  had  entertained 
the  same  idea  as  his.  He  and  she  and  the  others  he 
mentioned  were  not  acting  and  reacting  upon  one  an- 
other casually ;  it  was  all  a  part  of  a  purpose,  leading 
up  to  something  that  still  lay  unrevealed  on  the  knees 
of  destiny.  Perhaps  he  had  been  right  in  speaking 
of  a  drama ;  it  suggested  a  sequence  of  prearranged 
events,  springing  from  George's  death.  Reaching 
home,  she  endeavored  to  banish  these  thoughts,  which 
were  vaguely  troublesome,  but  INIiss  Hume  found  her 
preoccupied  and  absent-minded  during  the  evening. 

The  following  day  she  went  over  to  see  Mrs.  Glad- 
yryne  and  was  asked  to  wait  until  her  return.  Shortly 
afterward,  Clarence  entered  the  room  where  she  was  sit- 
ting, and  she  alluded  to  her  visit  to  Lisle. 

"  He  is  going  back  as  soon  as  he  can  stand  the 
journey,"  she  said. 

Gladwyne  made  an  abrupt  movement  and  she  noticed 
with  surprise   and   some   indignation   the  relief   in   his 


^18  THE  LONG  PORTAGE 

« 

expression.  Though  the  men  had  not  been  on  very 
cordial  terms,  it  puzzled  her. 

"  You  don't  attempt  to  conceal  your  satisfaction," 
she  commented.     "  Isn't  it  a  little  ungenerous?  " 

His  effort  to  recover  his  composure  was  obvious,  but 
he  answered  her  quietly. 

"  I'm  afraid  it  is.  After  the  accident  —  I  think  I 
was  partly  blamed  for  that  —  he  behaved  very  well ; 
told  everybody  about  the  slippery  ground  and  said 
what  he  could  to  exonerate  me." 

"  I  didn't  mean  to  refer  to  that  matter,"  explained 
Millicent.  She  knew  that  it  was  a  painful  one  to 
him. 

"  Still,"  he  resumed,  "  even  if  it's  ungrateful,  I  am 
rather  glad  he's  going." 

"  '  Rather  glad  '  hardly  seems  to  describe  it ;  you 
looked  overjoyed." 

"  Don't  be  severe,  Millicent.  Let  me  explain.  Since 
Lisle  came  over,  nothing  has  been  quite  the  same.  He 
got  hold  of  you  and  Nasmyth  and  the  others,  and  in  a 
way  alienated  you  from  me.  I  don't  mean  he  did  it 
with  deliberate  intention,  but  he  took  up  your  time 
and  monopolized  your  interest.  I've  seen  much  less 
of  both  of  you." 

"  And,  of  late,  of  the  Crestwicks." 

"  Oh,"  he  returned  in  his  most  casual  manner,  "  I 
shouldn't  have  had  much  more  of  their  company  in 
any  case.  Jim's  going  to  Canada  and  Bella  to  Sus- 
sex. I  understand  from  Marple  that  it  will  be  some 
time  before  she  visits  us  again." 

Millicent  was  glad  to  hear  it,  but  she  made  no  com- 
ment. 

"  It's  unreasonable  to  blame  Lisle,"  Gladwyne  went 


GLADWYNE  GAINS  A  POINT  219 

on ;  "  though  he  did  make  some  unpleasantness  with 
Batlcy ;  but  I  have  had  so  many  annoyances  and  trou- 
bles since  he  arrived.  Everything  has  been  going 
wrong  and  I  can't  disassociate  him  from  the  unfortu- 
nate tendency." 

He  sat  where  the  light  fell  upon  his  face,  and  ]\Iilli- 
cent,  studying  it,  was  stirred  to  compassion,  which  was 
always  ready  with  her.  He  looked  harassed  and  nerv- 
ous, as  if  he  had  borne  a  heavy  strain,  and  she  knew 
that  the  accident  had  preyed  upon  his  mind.  That, 
she  thought,  was  to  his  credit.  In  addition  to  this, 
she  had  suspected  that  he  was  threatened  with  financial 
difficulties.  The  man  had  a  dangerous  gift  of  rous- 
ing women's  interest  and  sympathy. 

"  I'm  sori'y,"  she  said  with  sincere  feeling.  "  You 
should  go  away  for  a  time.     You  need  a  change." 

"  I've  thought  of  it ;  but  I'm  afraid  I've  been  neg- 
lecting things  lately  and  there's  a  good  deal  that  needs 
straightening  up  —  farm  buildings  to  be  looked  to, 
the  stream  to  dyke  in  the  low  ground,  and  that  drain- 
ing scheme." 

It  was  not  all  acting;  he  had  meant  to  give  those 
matters  some  attention  when  he  found  it  convenient, 
and  she  Avas  far  from  suspicious  and  was  quick  to  take 
the  most  favorable  view  of  any  one.  That  he  recog- 
nized his  duties  and  intended  to  discharge  them  grati- 
fied her. 

"  I  think,"  she  told  him,  "  that  if  you  undertake 
these  things  in  earnest,  you'll  be  better  for  the  occupa- 
tion ;  and  they  certainly  need  looking  after." 

"  I've  been  slack,"  he  owned.  "  I  seemed  to  lose  in- 
terest and,  as  I  said,  I've  had  difficulties  to  distract 
me." 


220  THE  LONG  PORTAGE 

He  had  struck  the  right  note  again.  Anything  of 
the  nature  of  a  confession  or  appeal  for  sympathy  sel- 
dom failed  to  stir  her. 

"  In  fact,"  he  resumed,  "  I'm  not  clear  of  troubles 
now.  If  I  do  half  that  I'm  asked  to  do,  it  will  nearly 
ruin  me,  and  I  don't  know  where  to  begin.  I  haven't 
any  great  confidence  in  Grierson's  advice ;  he  doesn't 
seem  to  grip  things  readily." 

"  The  trouble  is  that  he  has  his  favorites,"  she  said 
bluntly.  "  I  don't  think  he  suffers  from  any  lack  of 
understanding." 

"  What  do  you  mean  ?  " 

It  was  unpleasant,  but  she  had  courage  and  the 
man  was  doing  Clarence  harm. 

"  Well,  there  are  people  who  can  get  very  much 
what  they  ask  Grierson  for,  in  the  shape  of  repairs  and 
improvements,  whether  they  need  it  or  not." 

"  At  my  expense,  while  the  rest  get  less  than  they 
should  have.''  " 

"  A  number  of  your  tenants  have  got  practically 
nothing  for  some  years.  It's  false  economy ;  you'll 
have  to  lay  out  twice  as  much  as  would  keep  them 
here  satisfied,  when  they  leave  you  in  disgust." 

She  supplied  him  with  several  instances  of  neglect, 
and  a  few  clever  suggestions,  and  he  looked  at  her 
in  admiration  which  was  only  partly  assumed. 

"  What  an  administrator  you  would  have  made  !  "  he 
exclaimed.  "  The  place  would  thrive  in  your  hands 
and  everybody  be  content.  It's  obvious,  quite  apart 
from  his  good  qualities,  why  George  was  so  popular." 

Millicent  did  not  suspect  him  of  an  intent  to  flatter 
her,  and  she  recognized  that  there  was  truth  in  what 
he  said.     She  knew  everybody  on  the  estate  and  knew 


GLADWYNE  GAINS  A  POINT  221 

their  most  pressing  needs,  and  she  undoubtedly  pos- 
sessed the  power  of  management.  She  had  a  keen  dis- 
cernment and  could  arrive  at  a  quick  and  just  de- 
cision. 

"  Clarence,"  she  said,  "  I  shouldn't  advise  you  to 
take  the  business  altogether  out  of  Grierson's  hands. 
He's  honest,  so  far  as  you  are  concerned,  and  one  or 
two  of  the  hardest  things  he  did  were  by  your  orders." 

"  You  mean  the  Milbuni  and  Grainger  affair? " 
He  showed  a  little  embarrassment.  "  Well,  perhaps  I 
was  hast}^  then,  but  they  would  have  exasperated  a 
much  more  patient  man.  I  sometimes  feel  that  I  can't 
please  these  people,  whatever  I  do." 

She  smiled  at  this. 

"  They're  not  effusive,  but  they're  loyal  once  you 
win  their  confidence.  But,  to  go  back  to  Grierson  — 
let  him  collect  payments  and  handle  the  money,  but 
don't  ask  his  advice  as  to  how  you  will  lay  it  out. 
Look  around,  inquire  into  things,  and  trust  3'our  o\vn 
judgment." 

He  turned  to  her  beseechingly. 

"  I  can't  trust  it  in  these  matters  —  it  hasn't  been 
cultivated.  If  I'm  to  keep  out  of  further  trouble  and 
do  any  good,  you  must  help  me." 

Millicent  hesitated.  It  was  not  a  little  thing  he 
asked.  To  guide  him  aright  would  need  thought  and 
patient  investigation.  Still,  there  was,  as  she  had  said, 
so  much  to  be  done  —  abuses  to  be  abolished,  houses 
to  be  made  habitable,  burdens  to  be  lifted  from  shoul- 
ders unable  to  carry  them.  There  was  also  land  the 
yield  from  which  could  be  increased  by  a  verj'  mod- 
erate expenditure.  She  would  enjoy  the  power  to  do 
these  things  which  the  man's  demand  for  help  offered 


222  THE  LONG  PORTAGE 

her,  but  she  was  more  stirred  bj'  his  desire  to  redeem 
past  neglect  and  set  right  his  failures. 

"  Well,"  she  promised,  "  you  shall  have  my  candid 
advice  whenever  you  need  it." 

He  showed  his  gratitude,  but  he  was  conscious  of  a 
satisfaction  that  had  no  connection  with  the  welfare  of 
his  estate.  He  would  have  a  legitimate  excuse  for  see- 
ing her  often;  the  work  jointly  undertaken  would  lead 
to  a  closer  confidence.  He  had  always  cherished  a  cer- 
tain tenderness  for  her;  he  must  marry  somebody  with 
money  before  long ;  and  though  Millicent's  means  were 
not  so  large  as  Bella's,  they  were  not  contemptible. 
He  had  not  the  honesty  to  let  these  thoughts  obtrude 
themselves,  but  they  nevertheless  hovered  at  the  back 
of  his  mind.  It  was  more  graceful  to  reflect  that  Milli- 
cent  possessed  refinement,  a  degree  of  beauty,  and 
many  most  desirable  qualities. 


CHAPTER  XX 

MES.    GLADWYNe's    TEMPTATION 

CLARENCE  had  gone  away  with  Batley  when 
Lisle  called  on  Mrs.  Gladwyne.  She  was  leav- 
ing home  for  a  visit  on  the  following  day  and 
he  wished  to  say  good-by,  and,  if  an  opportunity  of- 
fered, to  ask  her  opinion  upon  a  matter  he  had  at 
heart.  She  was  not  a  clever  woman,  but  there  were 
points  on  which  he  thought  her  judgment  could  be 
trusted.  He  was  told  that  she  would  bo  occupied  for 
a  few  minutes  and  was  shown  into  her  drawing-room. 
He  sat  down  to  wait  and,  though  he  was  familiar  with 
the  house,  he  looked  about  him  with  an  interest  for 
which  there  was  a  reason.  The  room  had  always  im- 
pressed hira  by  its  size  and  loftiness,  and  it  did  so 
more  than  ever  that  afternoon. 

The  floor  was  of  hardwood,  polished  to  a  glossy  lus- 
ter by  the  hands  of  several  generations,  and  the  rugs 
scattered  here  and  there  emphasized  its  extent.  ]\Iost 
of  the  furniture  was  old,  and  the  few  articles  ap- 
parently bought  in  later  times  harmonized  with  it. 
The  faded  ceiling  had  been  painted  with  Cupid's  trail- 
ing ribands,  he  judged  by  some  artist  of  the  period 
shortly  preceding  the  French  Revolution,  and  two  or 
three  Arcadian  figures  hinted  at  the  same  date.  There 
were  other  things  —  a  luster  chandelier,  quaintly- 
wrought  hearth-irons,  a  carved  wood  mantel  —  that 
pointed  to  bygone  days. 

223 


224  THE  LONG  PORTAGE 

It  all  impressed  him  with  a  sense  of  the  continuity 
of  English  traditions  and  mode  of  life,  as  applied  to 
such  families  as  the  Gladwynes.  Cradled  in  a  degree 
of  luxury  which  nevertheless  differed  from  modern  pro- 
fusion and  ostentation,  steeped  in  a  slightly  austere 
refinement,  he  could  understand  their  shrinking  from 
sudden  chance  and  clinging  to  the  customs  of  the  past. 
They  were  all,  so  far  as  he  had  seen,  characterized  by 
the  possession  of  high  qualities,  with  the  exception  of 
Clarence,  whom  he  regarded  as  a  reversion  to  a  baser 
type ;  but  he  thought  that  they  would  suffer  if  up- 
rooted and  transplanted  in  a  less  sheltered  and  less 
cultivated  soil.  Inherited  instincts  were  difficult  to  sub- 
due; he  was  conscious  of  their  influence.  He  came 
from  a  new  land  where  he  had  often  toiled  for  a  dollar 
or  two  daily,  but  a  love  and  veneration  for  the  an- 
cient English  homes  in  which  his  people  had  lived  was 
growing  strong  in  him. 

Mrs.  Gladwyne  did  not  appear,  but  he  had  a  good 
deal  to  think  of  and  was  content  to  wait.  He  had 
grown  fond  of  the  stately  lady  and  it  was,  indeed, 
largely  for  her  sake  that  he  had  decided  not  to  reveal 
for  a  while  what  he  knew  about  the  tragedy  in  British 
Columbia.  He  could  not  absolutely  prove  his  version 
of  the  affair,  and  it  would  bring  distress  upon  the 
mother  of  the  offender;  he  had  already  waited  two 
3^ears  and,  though  he  felt  that  his  dead  comrade  had 
a  strong  claim  on  him,  he  could  wait  a  little  longer. 
Fate  might  place  conclusive  evidence  in  his  hands  or 
remove  some  of  his  difficulties.  Besides,  he  must  go 
back  as  soon  as  possible  to  the  Canadian  North,  and  in 
one  respect  he  was  very  loath  to  do  this. 

At  last  he  heard  a  footstep  and  his  hostess  came  in. 


MRS.  GLADWYNE'S  TEMPTATION      S25 

Her  dress  was  not  of  the  latest  fashion,  but  it  some- 
how struck  him  as  out  of  phicc ;  she  ought  to  have 
been  attired  in  the  mode  of  a  century  ago,  with  powder 
in  her  hair.  Nevertheless,  fragile  as  she  was,  with  her 
fine  carriage  and  her  gracious  smile,  she  made  an  at- 
tractive picture  in  the  ancient  room. 

"  I've  come  on  an  unpleasant  errand  —  to  say  good- 
by  —  and  to  thank  you  for  many  favors  shown  to  a 
stranger,"  he  said. 

"  I  think  you  were  never  that  from  the  beginning," 
she  told  him.  "  By  and  by  we  learned  the  reason  — 
you  realU'  belong  to  us." 

He  made  a  gesture  of  humorous  expostulation. 

"  I  like  to  believe  that  I  belong  here,  but  not  be- 
cause of  the  explanation  you  give.  It  doesn't  seem 
to  be  much  to  my  credit  that  my  forefathers  lived  in 
this  part  of  the  country ;  I'd  rather  be  taken  on  my  ac- 
tual merits,  if  that  isn't  too  egotistical." 

"  They  did  live  here,"  she  rejoined.  "  You  can't 
get  over  that  —  it  has  its  influence." 

It  was  the  point  of  view  he  had  expected  her  to 
take. 

"  We  are  very  sorry  you  are  going,"  slie  continued ; 
"  somehow  we  hardly  anticipated  it.  Have  you  ever 
thought  of  coming  back  for  good?  " 

She  was  unconsciously  giving  him  the  lead  he  de- 
sired, but  he  would  not  seize  it  precipitately ;  he  was 
half  afraid. 

"  No,"  he  answered,  smiling ;  "  my  work's  out  3-on- 
der.  I  couldn't  sit  idle.  I  think  Miss  Gladwyne  hit 
it  when  she  told  me  that  I  was  one  of  the  pioneers." 

His  hostess  showed  more  comprehension  than  he  had 
looked  for. 


226  THE  LONG  PORTAGE 

"  Yes ;  I  set  you  down  as  one  of  the  men  who  prefer 
heat  and  cold,  want  of  food,  and  toil,  to  the  comforts 
they  could  have  at  home.  I  have  met  a  few,  sons  of 
my  old  friends,  and  heard  of  others.  After  all,  we 
have  a  good  many  of  them  in  England." 

"  Troublesome  people,  aren't  they  ?  What  do  you 
do  with  them  ?  " 

"  Let  them  go.  How  do  we  rule  India  and  hold  so 
much  of  Africa.''  How  did  we  open  up  Canada  for 
you.''  " 

He  nodded. 

"  That's  right.  It  doesn't  matter  that  in  respect 
to  Canada  the  sons  of  Highland  peasants  did  their 
share ;  the  Hudson  Bay  people  and  the  Laurentian 
Frenchmen  showed  us  the  way.  We  found  out  what 
kind  of  men  they  were  when  we  went  in  after  them." 

There  was  silence  for  a  few  moments  and  he  glanced 
at  her  with  admiration.  The  honorable  pride  of  caste 
she  had  shown  strongly  appealed  to  him.  She  stood 
for  all  that  was  fine  in  the  old  regime,  and  once  more 
he  wondered  how  such  a  woman  could  have  borne  such 
a  son. 

"  I'm  returning  because  business  calls,"  he  ex- 
plained. "  My  means  won't  keep  me  in  idleness,  and 
that  fact  has  a  bearing  on  the  question  as  to  whether 
I'll  ever  come  back  again.  It's  a  very  momentous  one 
to  me." 

She  waited,  noticing  with  some  surprise  the  sudden 
tenseness  of  his  expression,  until  he  spoke  again,  hesi- 
tatingly. 

"  You  are  the  only  person  I  can  come  to  for  ad- 
vice.     I'd  be  grateful  for  your  opinion." 

"  I'll  try  to  give  it  carefully,"  she  promised. 


MRS.  GLADWYNE'S  TEMPTATION      227 

"  Well,"  he  said,  "  the  life  you  people  lead  here  has 
its  attractions ;  they  must  be  strong  to  you.  It  would 
be  hard  to  break  with  all  its  associations,  to  face  one 
that  was  new  and  different ;  I  mean  for  a  woman  to 
do  so?" 

"  Ah ! "  she  exclaimed,  seeing  the  drift  of  his  re- 
marks at  last.     "  You  had  better  tell  me  whom  you  are 
thinking  of." 
"  Milliccnt." 

She  started.  This  was  a  painful  surprise,  though 
she  now  wondered  why  she  had  never  suspected  it.  He 
had  met  the  girl  frequently  before  his  accident,  and 
she  had  since  gone  over  to  Nasmyth's  to  talk  with  him 
now  and  then ;  yet,  for  some  not  very  obvious  reason, 
nobody  seemed  to  have  contemplated  the  possibility  of 
his  falling  in  love  with  her.  Mrs.  Gladwyne  had  un- 
doubtedly not  done  so,  and  she  was  filled  with  alann. 
It  was  most  desirable  that  ]Millicent  should  marry 
Clarence. 

"  How  long  have  you  had  this  in  your  mind.'*  "  she 
asked. 

"  That  is  more  than  I  can  tell  you,"  he  answered 
thoughtfully.  "  I  admired  her  greatly  the  first  time  I 
saw  her;  I  admired  her  more  when  we  made  friends, 
but  I  don't  think  I  went  much  farther  for  a  while.  In 
fact,  I  believe  it  was  only  when  I  knew  I  must  go  back 
soon  that  I  realized  how  strong  a  hold  she  had  on  me, 
and  then  I  fought  against  yielding.  The  difficulties 
to  be  got  over  looked  so  serious." 

"  Has  IMilhcent  any  suspicion  of  your  regard  for 
her?  "  It  was  an  important  question  and  IMrs.  Glad- 
wyne waited  in  suspense  for  his  repl3^ 

"  Not  the  slightest,  so  far  as  I   can  tell.      I  tried 


g28  THE  LONG  PORTAGE 

to  hide  my  feelings  until  I  could  come  to  a  decision  as 
to  what  I  ought  to  do." 

This  was  satisfactory,  provided  that  his  supposition 
was  correct,  and  his  companion  could  imagine  his  exer- 
cising a  good  deal  of  self-repression. 
"  What  is  your  fear  ?  "  she  asked. 
"  Well,  I'm   rough  and  unpolished  compared  with 
Nasmyth  and  the  rest,  but  with  her  large  mind  she 
might  overlook  that.      I  couldn't  live  here  as  Nasmyth 
and  Clarence  do;  I'm  not  rich  enough.     My  wife,  if 
I  marry,  must  come  out  West  with  me,  and  I  might 
have  to  be  away  from  her  for  months  now  and  then. 
I  don't  know  that  I  could  even  establish  myself  in  Vic- 
toria, where  she  would  find  something  resembling  your 
Eno^lish  society.     Besides,  mv  small  share  of  prosper- 
ity  might  come  to  an  end ;  I'm  going  back  now,  sooner 
than  I  expected,  because  there  are  business  difficulties 
to  be  grappled  Avith." 

Mrs.     Gladwyne     nodded.      She     could     follow     his 
thought,  but  after  a  pause  he  continued. 

"  What  troubles  me  most  is  that  Millicent  seems  so 
much  in  harmony  with  her  surroundings.  We  have 
notliing  like  them  in  Canada  —  anyway,  not  in  the 
West.  Whether  ours  are  better  or  worse  doesn't  af- 
fect the  case ;  they're  widely  different.  There  is  much 
she  would  have  to  give  up;  what  I  could  offer  her  in 
place  of  it  would  be  new  and  strange,  less  finished, 
less  refined.  Could  a  woman  of  your  station  stand  it? 
Would  she  suffer  from  being  torn  adrift  from  the  asso- 
ciations that  surround  her  here.?  " 

His  companion  considered.  Allowing  for  his  gener- 
osity in  thinking  first  of  Millicent,  he  was  a  little  too 
practical  and  dispassionate.     She  did  not  think  he  was 


MRS.  GLADWYNE'S  TEMPTATION      229 

very  greatly  in  love  with  the  girl  as  yet,  and  that 
was  consoling.  What  ^Millicent  thought  she  did  not 
know,  but  in  many  respects  the  man  was  eminently 
likable.  Mrs.  Gladwyne  had  grown  fond  of  him ;  but 
that  must  not  be  allowed  to  stand  in  her  son's  way. 
Clarence  came  before  an3'body  else. 

"  I  feel  my  responsibility,"  she  said  slowly. 
"  Would  you  act  on  my  advice.''  " 

"  I  think  so  —  it  might  be  hard.     Anyway,  I'd  try." 

She  hesitated.  The  man  had  won  her  respect.  Had 
she  been  wholly  free  from  extraneous  influences  she 
might,  perhaps,  have  counseled  liim  to  make  the  ven- 
ture, but  half-consciously  she  tried  to  see  only  the 
shadows  in  the  picture  he  had  drawn. 

"  Well,"  she  answered  him,  "  until  two  years  ago 
Millicent  lived  in  this  house  —  that  must  have  had  its 
effect  on  her." 

"  Yes,"  he  agreed ;  "  she  shows  it.  These  old 
places  set  their  stamp  on  people  —  it's  very  plain 
on  you." 

Mrs.  Gladwyne  saw  that  he  understood,  but  she  felt 
half  guilty  as  she  proceeded: 

"  You  admit  that  3'ou  could  not  give  her  anything  of 
this  kind  in  Canada?  " 

He  laughed  rather  grimly. 

"  No ;  our  homes  were  built  yesterday,  and  we  move 
on  rapidly  —  they'll  be  pulled  down  again  to-mor- 
row. I'll  own  that  our  ideas  and  nip.nners  are  in  the 
same  unfinished,  transitory  stage.  We  haven't  been 
able  to  sit  down  and  learn  how  to  be  graceful." 

She  made  a  sign  of  comprehension,  though  her  re- 
luctance to  proceed  grew  stronger.  He  was  very  hon- 
est and  there  was  pain  in  his  face. 


230  THE  LONG  PORTAGE 

"  Millicent,"  she  said,  "  is  essentially  one  of  us,  used 
to  what  v>e  consider  needful,  bred  to  our  ways.  The 
endless  small  amenities  which  make  life  smooth  here 
have  always  surrounded  her.  Can  you  imagine  her, 
for  instance,  living  with  the  Marples?  " 

"  No,"  he  replied  harshly ;  "  I  can't." 

"  Then  do  you  think  it  would  be  wise  to  take  her 
to  Canada?  " 

"  I  have  thought  she  would  not  mind  giving  up 
many  things  she  values,  if  one  could  win  her  affec- 
tion." 

"  That  is  very  true ;  but  it  doesn't  get  over  the  diffi- 
culty. It  isn't  so  very  hard  to  nerve  oneself  to  make 
a  sacrifice,  it's  the  facing  of  the  inevitable  results  when 
the  reaction  sets  in  that  tells.  She  would  continually 
miss  something  she  had  been  used  to  and  she  would 
long  for  it." 

He  sat  silent  for  nearly  a  minute,  with  his  face  set 
hard,  and  then  he  looked  up. 

"  If  Millicent  were  your  daughter,  would  you  let 
her  go.^  " 

Again  ]Mrs.  Gladwyne  hesitated.  His  confidence 
hurt  her ;  she  shrank  from  delivering  what  she  thought 
would  be  the  final  blow,  but  she  strove  to  assure  her- 
self that  she  was  acting  in  Millicent's  best  interest. 

"  No,"  she  answered,  "  not  unless  she  was  passion- 
ately attached  to  the  man  who  wished  to  take  her 
out,  and  then  I  should  do  my  utmost  to  dissuade 
her." 

He  made  no  answer  for  a  few  moments.  Then 
slowly  he  rose. 

"  Thank  you,"  he  said  gravely.  "  I'm  afraid 
you're    right.      It's    generally    hard    to    do    what    one 


MRS.  GLADWYNE'S  TEMPTATION      231 

ought.  Well," —  he  took  the  hand  she  held  out  — 
"  I'm  grateful  to  you  in  many  ways  and  I'd  like  you  to 
remember  me  now  and  then." 

She  let  him  go,  and  crossing  the  room  to  a  win- 
dow, she  watched  him  stride  down  the  drive  with  a 
swift,  determined  gait.  He  might  be  tried  severely, 
but  there  was  little  fear  of  this  man's  resolution  desert- 
ing him.  She  was,  however,  troubled  by  a  recurrence 
of  the  unpleasant  sense  of  guilt  when  he  disappeared ; 
it  was  difficult  to  persuade  herself  that  she  had  been 
quite  honest,  and  the  difficulty  was  new  to  her. 

In  the  meanwhile  Lisle  walked  on  rapidly,  disre- 
garding the  ache  that  the  motion  started  in  his  in- 
jured ann  and  shoulder.  In  his  dejected  mood,  the 
twinge  at  every  step  was  something  of  a  welcome  dis- 
traction. Since  a  sacrifice  must  be  made,  it  should, 
he  resolved,  be  made  by  him ;  Millicent  should  not  suf- 
fer, though  he  admitted  that  he  had  no  reason  for 
supposing  that  she  would  have  been  willing  to  do  so. 
She  had  never  shown  him  more  than  confidence  and 
friendliness,  and  it  was  only  during  the  past  few  weeks 
that  he  had  ventured  to  think  of  the  possibility  of  win- 
ning her.  Even  then,  the  thought  had  roused  no  ex- 
cess of  ardent  passion  ;  much  as  he  desired  her,  a  strong 
respect  and  steadfast  affection  were  more  in  keeping 
with  his  temperament.  Nevertheless,  h.ad  he  known  that 
she  loved  him  and  he  could  confer  benefits  upon  her  in 
place  of  demanding  a  sacrifice,  he  would  have  been 
strangel}'  hard  to  deter. 

On  his  return,  Nasmyth  met  him  at  the  door. 

"  Where  have  you  been  ?  "  he  asked  with  some  in- 
dignation. 

"  To  Mrs.  Gladwjme's,"  Lisle  informed  him. 


232  THE  LONG  PORTAGE 

"  You  walked  to  the  house,  after  what  Irvine  said 
when  you  insisted  on  his  taking  the  bandages  off?  " 

"  I  took  them  off ;  he  only  protested.  Anyway,  I 
didn't  break  my  leg." 

Nasmyth  noticed  his  gloomy  expression. 

"  Well,"  he  responded,  "  I  suppose  there  was  very 
Httle  use  in  warning  you  to  keep  quiet;  but  you  look 
as  if  you  had  suffered  for  your  rashness." 

"  That's  true,"  answered  the  Canadian  with  a  grim 
smile.  "  After  all,  it's  what  usually  happens,  isn't 
it.?" 

They  went  in,  Nasmyth  a  little  puzzled  by  his  com- 
panion's manner;  but  Lisle  offered  no  explanation  of 
its  cause. 


CHAPTER  XXI 

THE    LAST    AFTERNOON 

IT  was  a  bright  day  when  Lisle  took  his  leave  of  the 
Marples.  They  gave  him  a  friendh^  farewell  and 
when  he  turned  away  Bella  Crestwick  walked  with 
him  down  the  drive. 

"  I  don't  care  what  they  think  ;  I  couldn't  talk  to 
you  while  they  were  all  trying  to  say  something  nice," 
she  explained.  "  Still,  to  do  them  justice,  I  believe 
they  meant  it.     We  are  sorry  to  part  with  you." 

"  It's  soothing  to  feel  that,"  Lisle  replied.  "  In 
man}'  ways,  I'm  sorry  to  go.  I've  no  doubt  you'll  miss 
your  brother  after  to-morrow." 

"  Yes,"  she  said  with  unusual  seriousness.  "  ]\Iore 
than  once  during  the  last  two  3'ears  I  felt  that  it  would 
be  a  relief  to  let  somebody  else  have  the  responsibility 
of  looking  after  him,  but  now  that  the  time  has  come 
I'm  sorry  he's  going.  I  can't  help  remembering  how 
often  I  lost  my  temper,  and  the  mistakes  I  made." 

"  You  stuck  to  your  task,"  commended  Lisle.  "  I 
dare  say  it  was  a  hard  one,  almost  beyond  3'ou  now 
and  then." 

He  knew  that  he  was  not  exaggerating.  She  was 
only  a  3'ear  older  than  the  wilful  lad,  who  must  at 
times  have  driven  her  to  despair.  Yet  she  had  never 
faltered  in  her  efforts  to  restrain  and  control  him ;  and 
had  made  a  greater  sacrifice  for  his  sake  than  Lisle 

233 


234  THE  LONG  PORTAGE 

suspected,  though  in  the  light  of  a  subsequent  revela- 
tion of  GladwjTie's  character  she  was  thankful  for  this. 

"  Well,"  she  replied,  "  I  suppose  that  one  misses 
a  load  one  has  grown  used  to,  and  I  feel  very  down- 
cast. It's  hardly  fair  to  pass  Jim  on  to  you  —  but  I 
can  trust  you  to  take  care  of  him." 

"  You  can  trust  the  work  and  the  country,"  Lisle 
corrected  her  with  a  trace  of  grimness.  "  He's  not 
going  out  to  be  idle,  as  he'll  discover.  There's  noth- 
ing like  short  commons  and  steady  toil  for  taming  any 
one.  You'll  see  the  effect  of  my  prescription  when  I 
send  him  back  again." 

"  He  has  physical  pluck.  I'm  glad  to  remember  it ; 
and  he  has  shown  signs  of  steadying  since  he  found 
Gladwyne  out." 

Lisle  looked  at  her  searchingly. 

"  Since  he  found  Gladwyne  out?  " 

"  Oh,"  she  answered,  seeing  that  she  had  been  in- 
cautious, "  he  rather  idolized  the  man,  and  I  suppose 
it  was  painful  to  discover  by  accident  that  he  wasn't 
quite  all  he  thought  him.  Now,  however,  he  has  trans- 
ferred his  homage  to  you  —  I'm  afraid  Jim  must  al- 
ways have  somebody  to  prop  him  —  but  I've  no  mis- 
givings." 

Lisle  laughed. 

"  I've  seldom  had  the  time  to  get  into  mischief ;  1 
suppose  that  accounts  for  a  good  deal." 

They  were  nearing  the  lodge  and  she  stopped  and 
held  out  her  hand. 

"  It's  hard  to  say  good-by ;  you  have  helped  me  more 
than  you'll  ever  guess,  and  you  won't  be  forgotten." 
Then  as  he  held  her  hand  with  signs  of  embarrassment 
she  laughed  with  something  of  her  usual  mocking  man- 


THE  LAST  AFTERNOON  235 

ner  and  suddenly  drew  away.  "  Good-by,"  she  added. 
"  I  was  rather  daring  once  and  I  suppose  you  were 
shocked.  I  can't  repeat  tlie  rashness  —  it  would  mean 
more  now." 

She  walked  back  toward  the  house,  and  he  went  on. 
Half  an  hour  later  he  met  MilHcent,  who  stopped  to 
greet  him. 

"  I  was  on  my  way  to  call  on  you  for  the  last  time," 
he  told  her. 

There  was  something  in  his  voice  that  troubled  her, 
and,  though  she  had  expected  it,  she  shrank  from  the 
intimation  of  his  departure. 

"  Then,  will  you  come  back  with  me.''  "  she  asked. 

"  If  3'ou're  not  pressed  for  time,  I'd  rather  walk 
across  the  moor,  the  way  j^ou  once  took  me  soon  after 
I  came.  I'd  like  to  look  round  the  countryside  again 
before  I  leave,  though  it  will  be  a  melancholy  pleas- 
ure." 

For  no  very  obvious  reason,  she  hesitated.  It  was, 
however,  hard  to  refuse  his  last  request  and  she  really 
wished  to  go. 

""  The  views  are  unusually  good,"  she  said,  as  they 
started  on.  "  Wouldn't  Nasmyth  have  gone  with 
you?  " 

"  It  wouldn't  have  been  the  same,"  he  explained. 
*'  I'm  storing  up  memories  to  take  away  with  me  and 
somehow  Nasmyth  is  most  clearly  associated  with 
Canada.  When  I  think  of  him,  it  will  be  as  sitting 
in  camp  beside  a  portage  or  holding  the  canoe  paddle." 
And  you  can't  picture  my  being  occupied  in  that 


« 


way  ?  " 


"  No,"  he  answered  gravely ;  "  I  associate  you  with 
England  —  with  stately  old  houses,  with  well-cared-for 


236  THE  LONG  PORTAGE 

woods  and  quiet  valleys.     There's  no  doubt  that  your 
place  is  here." 

He  spoke  as  if  he  were  making  an  admission  that  was 
forced  from  him,  and  she  endeavored  to  answer  in  a 
lighter  manner. 

"  It's  the  only  one  I've  had  an  opportunity  for  try- 
mg." 

But  you  love  this  place !  " 

Yes,"  she  said ;  "  I  love  it  very  well.  Perhaps  I 
am  prejudiced,  and  I've  only  had  a  glimpse  at  other 
countries,  but  I  feel  that  this  is  the  most  beautiful 
land  in  the  world." 

He  stopped  and  glanced  round.  From  where  they 
stood  he  could  look  out  upon  leagues  of  lonely  brown 
moors  running  back  into  the  distance  under  a  cloudless 
sky.  Beyond  them  the  Scottish  hills  were  softly 
penciled  in  delicate  gray.  There  was  a  sense  of  space 
and  vastness  in  the  picture,  but  it  was  not  that  which 
spoke  most  plainly  to  him.  Down  on  the  far-spread 
low  ground  lay  such  white  homesteads,  built  to  stand 
for  generations,  as  he  had  never  seen  in  Canada ;  parks 
sprinkled  with  noble  trees,  amid  which  the  gray  walls 
of  some  ancient  home  peeped  out;  plantations  made 
with  loving  care,  field  on  field,  fenced  in  with  well- 
trimmed  hedges. 

It  was  all  eloquent  of  order,  security  and  long-estab- 
lished ease ;  a  strong  contrast  to  the  rugged  wilderness 
where,  in  the  bush  and  on  treeless  prairie,  men  never 
relaxed  their  battle  with  nature.  In  many  ways,  his 
was  a  stern  country ;  a  land  of  unremitting  toil  from 
which  one  desisted  only  long  enough  to  eat  and  sleep, 
and  he  was  one  of  the  workers.  Mrs.  Gladwyne 
had  been  right  —  it  was  no  place  for  this  delicately 


THE  LAST  AFTERNOON  237 

nurtured  girl  with  her  sensitiveness  and  artistic  fac- 
ulties. 

"  For  those  who  can  live  as  you  live,  It  would  be 
hard  to  find  the  equal  of  this  part  of  England,"  he 
said.  "  But  I'm  not  sure  you  can  keep  it  very  much 
longer  as  it  is." 

"Why?"  she  asked. 

It  was  a  relief  to  talk  of  matters  of  minor  interest, 
for  he  dare  not  let  his  thoughts  dwell  too  much  on  the 
subject  that  was  nearest  them. 

"  Well,"  he  replied,  "  there's  the  economic  pressure, 
for  one  thing ;  the  growth  of  your  cities ;  the  demand 
for  food.  I  see  land  lying  almost  idle  that  could  be 
made  productive  at  a  very  moderate  outlay.  Our  peo- 
ple often  give  nearly  as  nmch  as  it's  Avorth  here  for  no 
better  soil." 

"  But  how  do  they  make  it  pay?  " 

He  laughed. 

"  The  secret  is  that  they  expect  very  little  —  enough 
to  eat,  a  shack  they  build  with  their  own  hands  to 
sleep  in  —  and  they're  willing  to  work  sixteen  hours 
out  of  the  twent3'-four." 

"  They  can't  do  so  in  winter." 

"  The  hours  are  shorter,  but  where  the  winter's  hard- 
est —  on  the  open  middle  prairie  —  the  work's  more 
severe.  There  the  little  man  spends  a  good  deal  of  his 
time  hauline:  home  stove-wood  or  buildinfr-lofrs  for 
new  stables  or  barns.  He  has  often  to  drive  several 
leagues  with  the  thermometer  well  below  zero  before 
he  can  find  a  bluff  with  laro-e  enough  trees.  In  the 
Pacific  Slope  forests,  where  it's  wamier,  Avork  goes  on 
much  as  usual.  The  bush  rancher  spends  his  days 
chopping  big  trees  in  the  rain  and  his  nights  making 


238  THE  LONG  PORTAGE 

odd  things  —  furniture,  wagon-poles,  new  doors  for 
his  outbuildings.  What  you  would  call  necessary 
leisure  is  unknown." 

This  was  not  exaggeration ;  but  he  spoke  of  it  from 
a  desire  to  support  his  resolution  by  emphasizing  the 
sternest  aspects  of  western  life.  It  had  others  more 
alluring:  there  were  men  who  dwelt  more  or  less  at 
their  ease;  but  they  were  by  no  means  numerous,  and 
the  toilers  —  in  city  office,  lonely  bush,  or  sawmill  — • 
were  consumed  by  or  driven  into  a  feverish  activity. 
As  one  of  them,  it  was  his  manifest  duty  to  leave  this 
English  girl  in  her  sheltered  surroundings.  There 
was,  however,  one  remote  but  alluring  possibility  that 
made  this  a  little  easier  —  he  might,  after  all,  win 
enough  to  surround  her  Avith  some  luxury  and  cultured 
friends  in  one  of  the  cities  of  the  Pacific  coast. 
Though  they  differed  from  those  in  England,  they 
were  beautiful,  with  their  vistas  of  snow-capped  moun- 
tains and  the  sea. 
'  "  But  you  are  not  a  farmer,"  she  objected. 

"  No ;  mining's  my  vocation  and  it  keeps  me  busy. 
In  the  city,  I'm  at  work  long  before  they  think  of 
opening  their  London  offices,  and  it's  generally  mid- 
night before  I've  finished  worrying  engineers  and  con- 
tractors at  their  homes  or  hotels.  In  the  wilds,  we're 
more  or  less  continuously  grappling  with  rock  or 
treacherous  gravel,  or  out  on  the  prospecting  trail, 
while  the  northern  summer  lasts ;  it's  then  light  most  of 
the  night.  In  the  winter,  we  sometimes  sleep  in  the 
snow,  with  the  thermometer  near  the  bottom  of  its 
register." 

Millicent  shivered  a  little,  wondering  uneasily  why 


THE  LAST  AFTERNOON  239 

he  had  taken  the  trouble  to  impress  this  upon  her.  It 
was,  she  thought,  certainly  not  to  show  what  he  was 
capable  of. 

"  Arc  you  glad  to  go  back,  or  do  you  dread  it.-^  " 
she  asked. 

"  I  don't  dread  it  —  it's  my  life,  and  things  may  be 
-easier  by  and  by.      Still,  I'm  very  loath  to  go." 

Milliccnt  could  believe  that.  His  troubled  expres- 
sion confirmed  it ;  and  she  was  strangely  pleased.  She 
had  never  had  a  companion  in  whom  she  could  have 
so  much  confidence,  and  she  had  already  recognized 
that  she  was,  in  one  sense  of  the  word,  growing  fond  of 
him.  Indeed,  she  had  begun  to  be  curious  about  the 
feeling  and  to  wonder  whether  it  stopped  quite  short 
at  liking. 

"  Well,"  she  told  him,  "  I'm  glad  that  you  asked  me 
to  come  with  you.  I  think  I  was  one  of  your  first 
friends  and  I'm  pleased  that  you  should  wish  to  spend 
part  of  your  last  day  in  my  companj^" 

"  You  come  first  of  all !  " 

"That's  flattering,"  she  smiled.  "What  about 
Nasmyth  ?  " 

"  An  unusually  fine  man,  but  he  has  his  limits.  You 
have  none." 

"  I'm  not  sure  I  quite  understand  you." 

"  Then,"  he  explained  seriously,  "  what  I  think  I 
mean  is  this  —  j'ou're  one  of  the  people  who  somehow 
contrive  to  meet  any  call  that  is  made  on  them.  You 
would  never  sit  down,  helpless,  in  a  trying  situation; 
you'd  find  some  way  of  getting  over  the  difficulties. 
It's  a  gift  more  useful  than  genius." 

"  You're  rating  me  too  highly,"  she  answered  with 


240  THE  LONG  PORTAGE 

some  embarrassment.  "  You  admitted  that  you 
thought  1113'^  place  was  here  —  the  inference  was  that  I 
shouldn't  fit  into  a  different  one." 

"  No,"  he  corrected  her ;  "  you'd  adapt  yourself  to 
changed  conditions ;  but  that  Avouldn't  prevent  your 
suffering  in  the  process.  Indeed,  I  think  people  of 
your  kind  often  suffer  more  than  the  others." 

He  v.as  to  some  extent  correct  in  his  estimate  of  her, 
but  she  shrank  from  the  direct  personal  application  of 
his  remarks. 

"  Aren't  the  virtues  you  have  described  fairly  com- 
mon? "  she  asked.  "  I  think  that  must  be  so,  because 
they're  so  necessary." 

"  In  a  degree,  I  suppose  they  are.  You  see  them, 
perhaps,  most  clearly  in  such  lands  as  mine.  The 
pioneer  has  a  good  deal  against  him  —  frost  and  floods, 
hard  rock  and  sliding  snow ;  he  must  face  every  dis- 
comfort, hunger  and  stinging  cold.  The  prospector 
crawls  through  tangled  forests,  and  packs  his  stores 
across  snowy  divides ;  shallow  shafts  cave  in,  rude  dams 
are  swept  away.  A  man  worked  to  exhaustion  on  the 
trail  runs  out  of  provisions  and  goes  on,  starving;  he 
lames  himself  among  the  rocks,  sets  his  teeth  and  limps 
ahead.  I've  thought  the  capacity  to  do  so  is  human- 
ity's greatest  attribute,  but  after  all  it's  not  shown  in 
its  finest  light  battling  with  material  things.  When 
the  moral  stress  comes,  the  man  who  would  face  the 
other  often  fails." 

"  Yes,"  she  asserted ;  "  there  are  barriers  that  can't 
be  stormed.  Merely  to  acquiesce  is  the  hardest  thing 
of  all,  but  in  that  lies  the  victory." 

"  It's  a  bitter  one,"  he  answered  moodily. 

There  was   silence   for   a   few   minutes    while    they 


THE  LAST  AFTERNOON  241 

strolled  on  through  the  heather.  Afterward,  Milllcent 
understood  where  his  thoughts  had  led,  but  now  she 
was  chiefly  conscious  of  a  slight  but  perplexing  re- 
sentment against  the  fact  that  he  should  discourse 
rather  crude  philosophy.  Indeed,  the  feeling  almost 
amounted  to  disappointment  —  it  was  their  last  walk, 
and  though  she  did  not  know  what  she  had  expected 
from  him,  it  was  something  different  from  this.  Walk- 
ing by  her  side,  with  his  fine  poise,  his  keen  eyes  that 
regarded  her  steadily  when  she  spoke,  and  his  resolute 
brown  face,  he  appealed  to  her  physically,  and  in  other 
ways  she  approved  of  liim.  It  was  borne  in  upon  her 
more  clearly  that  she  would  miss  him  badly,  and  she 
suspected  that  he  would  not  find  it  easy  to  part  from 
her.  In  the  meanwhile  he  recognized  that  she  had,  no 
doubt  unconsciously,  given  him  a  hint  —  when  the 
moral  difficulties  were  unsurmountable  one  must  quietly 
submit. 

The}-  stopped  Avhen  the}^  reached  the  highest  strip 
of  moor.  The  sun  was  low,  the  vast  sweep  of  country 
beneath  them  was  fading  to  neutral  color,  woods,  low 
ridges,  and  river  valleys  losing  their  sharpness  of 
contour  as  the  light  left  them.  A  faint  cold  wind 
sighed  among  the  heather,  emphasizing  the  desolation 
of  the  moorland. 

Millicent  shivered. 

"  We'll  go  down,"  Lisle  said  quietly ;  "  the  bright- 
ness has  gone.  I've  had  a  great  time  here  —  some- 
thing to  think  of  as  long  as  I  live  —  but  now  it's  over." 

"But  you'll  come  back  some  dav?"  she  suggested. 

"  I  may ;  I  can't  tell,"  he  answered.  "  I've  schemes 
in  view,  to  be  worked  out  in  the  North,  that  may  make 
my  return  possible ;  but  even  then  it  couldn't  be  quite 


242  THE  LONG  PORTAGE 

the   same.     Things   change;   one   mustn't   expect  too 
much." 

His  smile  was  a  little  forced;  his  mood  was  infec- 
tious, and  an  unusual  melancholy  seized  upon  Millicent 
as  they  moved  down-hill  across  the  long,  sad-colored 
slopes  of  heather.  Then  they  reached  a  bare  wood 
where  dead  leaves  that  rustled  in  the  rising  wind  lay 
in  drifts  among  the  withered  fern  and  the  slender  birch 
trunks  rose  about  them  somberly.  The  light  had  al- 
most gone,  the  gathering  gloom  reacted  upon  both  of 
them,  and  there  was  in  the  girl's  mind  a  sense  of  some- 
thing left  unsaid.  Once  or  twice  she  glanced  at  her 
companion;  his  face  was  graver  than  usual  and  he 
did  not  look  at  her. 

It  was  quite  dark  when  they  walked  down  the  dale 
beneath  the  leafless  oaks,  talking  now  with  an  effort 
about  indifferent  matters,  until  at  last  Milhcent  stopped 
at  the  gate  of  the  drive  to  her  house. 

"  Will  you  come  in  ?  "  she  asked. 

"  No ;  Nasmyth's  waiting.  I'm  glad  you  came  with 
me,  but  I  won't  say  good-by.  I'll  look  forward  to  the 
journey  we're  to  make  together  through  British  Co- 
lumbia." 

She  held  out  her  hand ;  in  another  moment  he  turned 
away,  and  she  walked  on  to  the  house  with  a  strange 
sense  of  depression. 


CHAPTER  XXII 

STARTLING    NEWS 

IT  was  snowing  in  the  northern  wilderness  and  the 
bitter  air  was  filled  with  small,  dry  flakes,  which 
whirled  in  filmy  clouds  athwart  the  red  glow  of 
a  fire.  A  clump  of  boulders  stood  outlined  beside  a 
frozen  river,  and  behind  the  boulders  a  growth  of  wil- 
lows rose  crusted  with  snow,  while  beyond  them,  barely 
distinguishable,  were  the  stunted  shapes  of  a  few 
birches.  So  far  the  uncertain  radiance  reached  when 
the  fire  leaped  up,  but  outside  it  all  was  shut  in  by  a 
dense  curtain  of  falling  snow. 

It  had  been  dark  for  some  time,  and  Lisle  was  get- 
ting anxious  as  he  lay,  wrapped  in  a  ragged  skin  coat, 
in  a  hollow  beside  a  boulder.  A  straining  tent  stood 
near  the  fire,  but  the  big  stone  afforded  better  shelter, 
and  drawing  hard  upon  his  pipe,  he  listened  eagerly. 
The  effort  to  do  so  was  unpleasant  as  well  as  some- 
what risky,  for  he  had  to  turn  back  the  old  fur  cap 
from  his  tingling  ears ;  and  he  shivered  at  ever}'^  varia- 
tion of  the  stinging  blast.  There  was  nothing  to  be 
heard  except  the  soft  swish  of  the  snow  as  it  swirled 
among  the  stones  and  the  hollow  rumble  of  the  river 
pouring  down  a  rapid  beneath  a  rent  bridge  of  ice. 

The  man  had  spent  the  early  winter,  when  the  snow 
facilitates  traveling,  in  the  auriferous  regions  of  the 
North,  arranging  for  the  further  development  of  the 

243 


244  THE  LONG  PORTAGE 

mineral  properties  under  his  control.  That  done,  he 
had,  returning  some  distance  south,  struck  out  again 
into  the  wilds  to  examine  some  alluvial  claims  in  which 
he  had  been  asked  to  take  an  interest.  It  was  difficult 
to  reach  the  first  of  them ;  and  then  he  had  spent  sev- 
eral weeks  in  detemiined  toil,  cutting  and  hauling  in 
wood  to  thaw  out  the  frozen  surface  sufficiently  to 
make  investigations.  Crestwick  had  accompanied  him, 
but  during  the  last  few  days  he  had  gone  down  to  a 
Hudson  Bay  post  with  the  owners  of  the  claim,  who 
were  returning  satisfied  with  the  arrangements  made. 
His  object  was  to  obtain  any  letters  that  might  have 
arrived,  and  Lisle,  going  on  to  look  at  another  group 
of  claims,  had  arranged  to  meet  him  where  he  had 
camped. 

It  would  be  difficult  to  miss  the  way,  for  it  consisted 
of  the  frozen  river,  but  Crestwick  should  have  arrived 
early  in  the  afternoon  and  Lisle  felt  uneasy.  On  the 
whole,  the  Canadian  was  satisfied  with  the  conduct  of 
his  companion.  Deprived  during  most  of  the  time  of 
any  opportunity  for  dissipation,  scantily  fed,  and 
forced  to  take  his  share  in  continuous  labor,  the  lad's 
better  qualities  had  become  manifest  and  he  had  re- 
sponded pluckily  to  the  demands  on  him.  Abstinence 
and  toil  were  already  producing  their  refining  effect. 
Still,  he  had  not  come  back,  and  v*'ith  the  snow  thicken- 
ing, it  was  possible  that  he  might  not  be  able  to  keep  to 
the  comparatively  plain  track  of  the  river.  There  was 
also  the  risk  that  by  holding  on  too  far  when  he  saw 
the  fire  he  might  blunder  in  among  the  fissured  ice  at 
the  foot  of  the  rapid. 

Rising  at  length.  Lisle  walked  toward  the  dangerous 
spot,  guiding  himself  by  sound,  for  once  he  was  out 


STARTLING  NEWS  245 

of  the  firelight  there  was  nothing  to  be  seen  but  a 
white  driving  cloud.  He  knew  when  he  had  reached 
the  neighborhood  of  the  rapid  by  the  increased  clamor 
of  the  stream,  and  he  crept  on  until  he  decided  that  he 
was  abreast  of  the  pool  below.  The  rapid  was  partly 
frozen,  but  the  ice  was  fissured  and  piled  up  at  the  tail 
of  it. 

Lisle  could  not  remember  how  long  he  waited,  beat- 
ing his  stiffened  hands  and  stumbling  to  and  fro  to 
keep  his  feet  from  freezing,  but  at  last,  though  he 
could  see  nothing,  he  heard  a  crunching  sound,  and  he 
called  out  sharply. 

'•  I've  got  here !  "  came  the  answer.  "  WTiere  shall 
I  leave  the  ice.''  Seems  to  be  an  opening  in  front  of 
me!" 

It  was  difficult  to  hear  through  the  clamor  of  the 
water  and  the  crash  of  drifting  ice ;  but  Lisle  caught 
the  words  and  called  again : 

"  Turn  your  back  on  the  wind  and  walk  straight 
ahead ! " 

He  supposed  that  Crestwick  was  obeying  him,  but 
a  few  moments  later  he  heard  a  second  shout : 

"  Brought  up  by  another  big  crack  !  " 

The  voice  was  hoarse  and  anxious,  and  Lisle,  deciding 
that  the  lad  was  worn  out  by  his  journey  and  probably 
confused,  bade  him  wait,  and  hurrying  down-stream  a 
little  he  moved  out  upon  the  frozen  pool.  He  pro- 
ceeded along  it  for  a  few  minutes,  calHng  to  Crestwick 
and  guiding  himself  by  the  answers ;  and  then  he 
stopped  abruptly  with  a  strip  of  black  water  close  be- 
neath Ills  feet.  On  the  other  side  was  a  ridfre  of 
rugged  Ice ;  but  what  lay  beyond  it  he  could  not 
see. 


246  THE  LONG  PORTAGE 

*'  I'm  in  among  a  maze  of  cracks ;  can't  find  any 
way  out !  "  Crestwick  cried,  answering  his  hail. 

Lisle  reflected  rapidly  as  he  followed  up  the  crevasse, 
which  showed  no  sign  of  narrowing.  The  snow  was 
thick,  the  bitter  wind  increasing,  and  a  plunge  into 
icy  water  might  prove  disastrous.  It  was  obvious  that 
he  must  extricate  his  companion  as  soon  as  possible, 
but  the  means  of  accomplishing  it  was  not  clear.  Crest- 
wick was  somewhere  on  the  wrong  side  of  the  crack, 
which  seemed  to  lead  right  across  the  stream  toward 
the  confusion  of  broken  ridges  and  hummocks  which, 
as  Lisle  remembered,  fringed  the  opposite  bank.  He 
must  endeavor  to  find  the  place  where  the  lad  had  got 
across ;  but  this  was  difficult,  for  fresh  breaches  and 
ridges  drove  him  back  from  the  edge.  Presently  the 
chasm  ended  in  a  wide  opening  filled  with  an  inky 
flood,  and  Lisle,  turning  back  a  yard  or  two,  braced 
himself  and  jumped. 

He  made  out  a  shapeless  white  object  ahead,  and 
coming  to  another  crack  he  scrambled  to  the  top  of 
an  ice-block  and  leaped  again.  There  was  a  sharp 
crackle  when  he  came  down,  the  piece  he  alighted  on 
rocked,  and  Crestwick  staggered. 

"  Look  out !  "  he  cried.     "  It's  tilting  under  1 " 

Lisle  saw  water  lapping  in  upon  the  snow,  but  it 
flowed  back,  and  the  cake  he  had  detached  impinged 
upon  the  rest  with  a  crash. 

"Come  on!"  he  shouted.  "The  stream  will  jamb 
it  fast ! " 

They  reached  the  larger  mass  and  moved  across  it, 
but  Lisle,  clutching  his  companion's  arm,  bewildered 
and  almost  blinded  by  the  snow,  doubted  if  he  were 
retracing  his  steps.     He  did  not  remember  some  of  the 


STARTLING  NEWS  247 

ridges  and  ragged  blocks  over  which  they  stumbled,  and 
the  smaller  rents  seemed  more  numerous.  It  was  evi- 
dent that  Crestwick  was  badly  worn  out  and  they  must 
endeavor  to  reach  the  bank  with  as  little  delay  as  possi- 
ble. 

At  last  they  came  to  the  broad  crevasse,  farther  up 
the  stream,  and  Lisle  turned  to  Crestwick. 

"  Better  take  off  your  skin-coat.  You'll  have  to 
jump." 

"I  rtin't,"  said  the  other  dejectedly.  "It's  not 
nerve  —  the  thing's  clean  beyond  me." 

His  slack  pose  —  for  he  was  dimly  visible  amid  the 
haze  of  driving  snow  —  bore  out  his  words.  The  long 
march  he  had  made  had  brought  him  to  the  verge  of 
exhaustion ;  his  overtaxed  muscles  would  respond  to  no 
further  call  on  them.  For  a  moment  or  two  Lisle 
stood  gazing  at  the  dark  water  in  the  gap. 

"  Then  we'll  look  for  a  narrower  place,"  he  decided. 
"  Where  did  you  get  across.?  " 

"  I  don't  know.  Don't  remember  this  split,  but  the 
ice  was  working  under  me.  Perhaps  the  snow  had 
covered  it  and  now  it's  fallen  in." 

They  scrambled  forward,  following  the  crevasse, 
but  could  find  no  means  of  passing  it  and  now  and  then 
the  ice  trembled  ominously.  At  last,  when  the  opposite 
side  projected  a  little.  Lisle  suddenly  sprang  out  from 
the  edge  and  alighted  safely. 

"  It's  easy ! "  he  called,  stripping  off  his  long  skin 
coat  and  flinging  one  end  of  it  across  the  chasm  to 
Crestwick.     "  Get  hold  and  face  the  jump!  " 

It  was  not  a  time  for  hesitation ;  the  exhausted  lad 
dare  not  contemplate  the  gap,  lest  his  courage  fail  him, 
and  nerving  himself  for  an  effort,  he  leaped.     Strik- 


2i8  THE  LONG  PORTAGE 

ing  the  edge  on  the  other  side,  he  plunged  forward  as 
Lisle  dragged  at  the  coat,  and  then  rolled  over  in  the 
snow.  He  was  up  in  a  moment,  gasping  hard,  almost 
astonished  to  find  himself  in  security,  and  Lisle  led  him 
back  to  the  snow-covered  shingle. 

"  It  strikes  me  as  fortunate  that  I  came  to  look  for 
you,"  he  observed.  "  You'd  probably  have  ended  by 
walking  into  the  river." 

"  Thanks,"  said  Crestwick  simply.  "  It  isn't  the 
first  hole  you've  pulled  me  out  of." 

They  reached  the  camp  and  the  lad,  shaking  the 
snow  off  his  furs,  sat  down  wearily  on  a  few  branches 
laid  close  to  the  sheltering  boulder,  while  Lisle  took  a 
frying-pan  and  kettle  off  the  fire,  and  aftenvard  filled 
his  pipe  again  and  watched  his  companion  while  he  ate. 
Crestwick  had  changed  since  he  left  England ;  his  face 
was  thinner,  and  the  hint  of  sensuality  and  empty  self- 
assurance  had  faded  out  of  it.  His  eyes  were  less  bold, 
but  they  were  steadier ;  and,  sitting  in  the  firelight,  clad 
in  dilapidated  furs,  he  looked  somehow  more  refined 
than  he  had  done  in  evening  dress  in  Marple's  billiard- 
room.  When  he  spoke,  as  he  did  at  intervals,  the  con- 
fident tone  which  had  once  characterized  him  was  no 
longer  evident.  He  had  learned  to  place  a  juster  esti- 
mate upon  his  value  in  the  icy  North. 

"  I  was  uncommonly  glad  to  see  the  fire,"  he  said  at 
length.  "  Another  mile  or  two  would  have  beaten  me ; 
though  I  spent  nearly  twice  as  long  in  coming  up  from 
the  Forks  as  the  prospectors  said  it  would  take.  I  was 
going  light,  too." 

"  They've  been  doing  this  kind  of  thing  most  of 
their  lives.  You  couldn't  expect  to  equal  them. 
Where  did  you  sleep  last  night.''  " 


STARTLING  NEWS  249 

"  In  some  withered  stuff  among  a  clump  of  willows ; 
I  scraped  the  snow  off  it.  That  is,  I  lay  down  there, 
but  as  the  fire  wouldn't  bum  well,  I  don't  think  I  got 
much  rest.  Part  of  the  time  I  wondered  what  I  was 
staying  in  this  country  for.  I  didn't  seem  to  find  any 
sensible  answer." 

"  You  could  get  out  of  it  when  the  freightei's  go 
dorwn  with  tlie  dogs  and  sledges,"  Lisle  suggested.  "  It 
would  be  a  good  deal  more  comfortable  at  Marplc's,  for 
instance." 

"  Do  you  want  to  get  rid  of  me.''  I  suppose  I'm  not 
much  help." 

"  Oh,  no  !  "  Lisle  assured  him.  "  It  only  struck  me 
that  you  might  find  the  novelty  of  the  experience 
wearing  off.  Besides,  you're  improving;  in  a  year 
or  two  you'll  make  quite  a  reliable  prospector's 
packer." 

"  That's  something,"  replied  Crestwick,  grinning. 
"  Not  long  ago  I  thought  I'd  make  a  sportsman ;  one 
of  Gladwyne's  kind.  The  ambition  doesn't  so  much 
appeal  to  me  now.  But  I  want  to  be  ratlier  more  than 
a  looker-on.  Can't  you  let  me  put  something  into  one 
of  these  claims?  " 

"  Not  a  cent !  In  the  first  place,  you'd  have  some 
trouble  in  raising  the  money ;  in  the  second,  I  might  be 
accused  of  playing  Batley's  game." 

"  The  last's  ridiculous.  But  if  I'm  not  to  do  any- 
thing, it  brings  me  back  to  the  question  —  why  am  I 
staying  here?  " 

"  I  can't  tell  you  that.  I'll  only  suggest  that  if  you 
hold  out  until  you  come  into  your  property,  you'll  go 
back  much  more  fit  in  several  ways  to  look  after  it.  I 
should    imagine   3'ou'd    find   less    occasion    to    emulate 


250  THE  LONG  PORTAGE 

people  like  Batley  and  Gladwyne  then.  Of  course, 
I  don't  know  if  that's  worth  waiting  for." 

It  was  the  nearest  approach  to  seriousness  he  con- 
sidered advisable,  for  precept  was  obnoxious  to  him 
and  apt  to  be  resented  by  his  companion. 

"  Now,"  he  added,  "  what  about  the  mail?  " 

Crestwick  produced  a  packet  of  letters  which  he  had 
not  opened  yet  and  Lisle  glanced  at  two  business  com- 
munications. The  boulder  kept  off  most  of  the  snow, 
and  the  glare  of  the  snapping  branches,  rising  and 
falling  with  the  gusts,  supplied  sufficient  light. 

"  Mine's  from  Bella ;  there's  news  in  it,"  Crestwick 
remarked.  "  She  says  Carew  —  I  don't  think  you've 
seen  him  —  is  anxious  to  marry  her,  and  if  she's  con- 
vinced that  I'm  getting  on  satisfactorily,  she'll  prob- 
ably agree.  He's  —  I'm  quoting  —  about  as  good  as 
she's  likely  to  get ;  that's  Bella  all  over." 

"  What's  he  like.?  "  Lisle  asked  with  interest. 

"  To  tell  the  truth,  in  one  way  I  think  she's  right  — 
the  man's  straight ;  not  the  Marple  crowd's  style.  In 
fact,  I  found  him  decidedly  stand-offish,  though  I'll 
own  there  might  have  been  a  reason  for  that.  Any- 
how, I'm  glad ;  she  might  have  done  a  good  deal  worse. 
I  suppose  you  won't  mind  giving  me  a  testimonial  that 
will  set  her  doubts  at  rest.''  " 

"  You  shall  have  it.  Since  the  man's  a  good  one, 
I'm  nearly  as  glad  as  you  are.  I've  a  strong  respect 
for  your  sister ;  she  stood  by  you  pluckily." 

"  That's  true,"  asserted  Crestwick.  "  I  was  a  bit 
of  an  imbecile,  and  she's  really  hard  to  beat.  She  says 
if  the  life  here's  too  tough  for  me  I'm  to  come  back 
and  live  with  them.  That's  considerate,  because  in  a 
way  she  can't  want  me,  though  I  haven't  the  least  doubt 


STARTLING  NEWS  251 

she'd  make  Carew  put  up  with  my  company.  It.  de- 
cides the  question  —  I'm  not  going." 

"  A  little  while  ago  you'd  have  taken  Carew's  delight 
for  granted,  wouldn't  you.''  " 

"  I'm  beginning  to  see  things,"  Crestwick  answered 
with  a  wave  of  his  hand.  Then  he  paused  and  looked 
confused.  "  After  all,  though  she  says  I'm  to  give 
you  the  message,  Bella  really  goes  too  far  now  and 
then." 

"  She  doesn't  always  mean  it.  You  may  as  well 
obey  her." 

"  It's  this  —  if  it's  any  consolation,  she  has  no  in- 
tention of  forgetting  you,  and  Arthur  —  that's  the 
fellow's  name  —  is  anxious  to  make  your  acquaintance. 
She  says  there  are  men  who're  not  so  unresponsive  as 
you  are,  but  Arthur  has  never  been  into  the  North  to 
get  frozen." 

Lisle  laughed  —  it  was   so   characteristic   of  Bella. 

"  Here's  something  else,"  Crestwick  proceeded ; 
"  about  jNIiss  Gladwyne.  Bella  thinks  you'd  be  inter- 
ested to  hear  that  there's  a  prospect  of  — " 

"  Go  on !  "  cried  Lisle,  dropping  his  pipe. 

"  I  can't  see,"  said  Crestwick.  "  You  might  stir 
the  fire." 

Lisle  threw  on  some  fresh  wood  and  poked  the  fire 
savagely  with  a  branch,  and  the  lad  continued,  reading 
with  difficulty  while  the  pungent  smoke  obscured  the 
light. 

"  It  seems  that  she  saw  Gladwyne  and  his  mother 
and  ]\Iilliccnt  together  in  town,  and  she  afterward 
spent  a  week  with  Flo  Marple  at  somebody's  house. 
Flo  told  her  that  it  looks  as  if  the  long-deferred  ar- 
rangement was  to  be  brought  about  at  last."     He  laid 


252  THE  LONG  PORTAGE 

down  the  letter.  "  If  that  means  she's  to  marry  Glad' 
wyne,  it  ought  to  be  prevented !  " 

They  looked  at  each  other  curiously,  and  Lisle, 
struggling  to  command  himself,  noticed  the  lad's 
strained  expression. 

"  Why?  "  he  asked  with  significant  shortness. 

Crestwick  seemed  on  the  verge  of  some  vehement  out- 
break and  Lisle  saw  that  it  was  with  an  effort  he  re- 
frained. 

*'  Oh,  well,"  he  answered,  "  the  man's  not  half  good 
enough.     He's  a  dangerous  rotter." 

"  Dangerous  ?  " 

*'  Yes,"  returned  Crestwick  dryly ;  "  I  think  that 
describes  it." 

There  was  an  impressive  silence,  while  each  wondered 
how  far  he  might  have  betrayed  himself.  Then  Lisle 
spoke. 

"  Read  the  rest  of  the  letter.  See  if  Bella  says  any- 
thing further." 

"  No  announcement  made,"  Crestwick  informed  him 
a  little  later.  "  All  the  same,  Flo's  satisfied  that  the 
engagement  will  be  made  known  before  long."  He 
looked  up  at  Lisle  with  uncertainty  and  anger  in  his 
face.  "  It  almost  makes  me  forget  Bella's  other  news. 
What  can  be  done?  " 

"  What  do  you  want  to  do  ?  " 

"  Don't  fence !  "  said  Crestwick.  "  I'm  not  smart  at 
it.  Don't  you  know  a  reason  why  Miss  Gladwyne 
shouldn't  marry  the  fellow  ?  " 

"  Yes.     It  has  nothing  to  do  with  you." 

"  Perhaps  not,"  replied  Crestwick.  "  I  can  only 
say  that  the  match  ought  to  be  broken  off.  It  isn't 
to  be  contemplated !  " 


STARTLING  NEWS  253 

*'  Well,"  Lisle  responded  with  forced  quietness,  "  if 
it's  any  relief  to  you,  I'll  write  to  Nasmyth  the  first 
chance  I  get,  asking  what  he's  heard.  Now  we'll  drop 
the  subject.  Is  there  anything  else  of  general  interest 
in  your  letter.?  " 

"  Bella  says  her  wedding  won't  be  until  the  early 
summer  and  she's  thinking  of  making  Carew  bring 
her  out  to  Banff  or  Glacier  —  he  came  out  shooting  or 
climbing  once  before.  Then  she'll  endeavor  to  look 
us  up." 

He  lighted  his  pipe  and  they  sat  in  silence  for  a 
while.  Then  Crestwick  rose  and  bringing  a  blanket 
from  the  tent  wrapped  it  about  him  and  lay  down  in 
the  lee  of  the  boulder  near  the  fire.  A  few  minutes 
later  he  was  sound  asleep ;  but  Lisle  sat  long  awake, 
thinking  hard,  while  the  snow  drove  by  above  him. 


CHAPTER  XXIII 

A    FORCED    MARCH 

WHEN  Crestwick  awakened,  very  cold,  and 
cramped,  a  little  before  daylight  the  next 
morning,  it  was  still  snowing,  but  Lisle  was 
up  and  busy  preparing  breakfast. 

"  That  looks  like  marching ;  I  thought  we  were  going 
to  lie  off  to-day,"  observed  the  lad. 

*'  How  do  you  feel?  "  Lisle  inquired. 

**  Horribly  stiff ;  but  that's  the  worst.  Why  are  you 
going  on.'*  " 

"  Because  the  freighters  should  leave  the  Hudson 
Bay  post  to-morrow  with  their  dog-teams.  It's  the 
only  chance  of  sending  out  a  letter  I  may  get  for  a 
long  while,  and  I  want  to  write  to  Nasmyth." 

Crestwick  shivered,  glancing  disconsolately  at  the 
snow ;  he  shrank  from  the  prospect  of  a  two  days'  hur- 
ried march.  Had  Lisle  suggested  this  when  he  first 
came  out,  the  lad  would  have  rebelled,  but  by  degrees 
the  stem  discipline  of  the  wilds  had  had  its  effect  on 
him.  He  was  learning  that  the  weariness  of  the  flesh 
must  be  disregarded  when  it  is  necessary  that  anything 
shall  be  done. 

"  Oh,  well,"  he  acquiesced,  "  I'll  try  to  make  it.  If 
I  can't,  you'll  have  to  drop  me  where  there's  some 
shelter." 

He  ate  the  best  possible  breakfast,  for  as  wood  was 
scarce  in  parts  of  the  country,  and  making  a  fire  dif- 

254 


A  FORCED  MARCH  255 

ficult,  it  was  very  uncertain  when  he  would  get  another 
meal.  Then  he  slipped  the  pack-straps  over  his  stiff 
shoulders,  and  got  ready  to  start  with  a  burden  he  did 
not  think  he  would  have  been  capable  of  carrying  for 
a  couple  of  hours  when  he  left  England. 

"  Now  we'll  pull  out,"  he  said.  "  But  wait  a  mo- 
ment :  I'd  better  look  for  a  dry  place  to  put  this  paper 
currency." 

"  Where  did  you  get  it?  You  told  me  at  the  last 
settlement  that  you  had  hardly  a  dollar  left." 

Crestwick  grinned. 

"  Oh,  some  of  the  boys  offered  to  teach  me  a  little 
game  they  were  playing  when  we  thawed  out  that  claim. 
I  didn't  find  it  difficult,  though  I  must  own  that  I  had 
very  good  luck.  It  was  three  or  four  months  since  I'd 
touched  a  card,  and  there's  a  risk  of  reaction  in  too 
drastic  reform.  Anyhow,  I'm  glad  I  saw  that  game; 
one  fellow  had  a  way  of  handling  trumps  that  almost 
took  me  in.  If  I  can  remember,  it  should  come  in  use- 
ful." 

Lisle  made  no  comment;  restraint,  he  thought,  was 
likely  to  prove  more  effective  if  it  were  not  continually 
exercised.  They  started  and  for  several  hours  plodded 
up  the  white  highway  of  the  river,  leaving  it  only  for 
a  while  when  the  ice  grew  fissured  where  the  current  ran 
more  swiftly.  White  hills  rose  above  them,  relieved 
here  and  there  by  a  somber  clump  of  cedars  or  leafless 
willows  and  birches  in  a  ravine.  The  snow  crunched 
beneath  their  feet,  and  scattered  in  a  fine  white  powder 
when  they  broke  the  crust ;  more  of  it  fell  at  intervals, 
but  blew  away  again  ;  and  they  held  on  with  a  nipping 
wind  in  their  faces  and  a  low  gray  sky  hanging  over 
them. 


256  THE  LONG  PORTAGE 

Lisle,  however,  noticed  little ;  he  pushed  forward 
with  a  steady  and  apparentl}"^  tireless  stride,  thinking 
bitterly.  Since  his  return  to  Canada,  his  mind  had 
dwelt  more  or  less  continuously  on  jNIillicent.  He 
recognized  that  in  leaving  her  with  his  regard  for  her 
undeclared  he  had  been  sustained  by  the  possibility 
that  he  might  by  determined  effort  achieve  such  a  suc- 
cess as  would  enable  him  to  return  and  in  claiming  her 
to  offer  most  of  the  amenities  of  life  to  Avhich  she  had 
been  accustomed.  Though  it  had  not  been  easy,  he  had 
to  some  extent  accomplished  this.  On  reaching  Vic- 
toria, he  had  found  his  business  associates  considering 
one  or  two  bold  and  risky  schemes  for  the  extension  of 
their  mining  interests,  which  he  had  carried  out  in  the 
face  of  many  difficulties.  The  new  claims  he  had  taken 
over  promised  a  favorable  yield  upon  development ;  he 
had  arranged  for  the  more  profitable  working  of  others 
by  the  aid  of  costly  plant ;  and  his  affairs  were  generally 
prospering. 

Then,  when  he  was  satisfied  with  the  result  of  his 
exertions,  Crestwick's  news  had  struck  him  a  crushing 
blow.  He  was  wholly  unprepared  for  it.  Nasmyth 
had  spoken  of  a  match  between  Millicent  and  Gladwyne 
as  probable,  but  the  latter  had  devoted  himself  to  Bella, 
who  had  openly  encouraged  him.  The  change  in  the 
girl's  demeanor  had  escaped  Lisle's  notice,  because  he 
had  been  kept  indoors  by  his  injury.  Now  the  success 
he  had  attained  counted  for  almost  nothing;  he  had 
nobody  to  share  it  with. 

The  subject,  however,  had  another  aspect;  he  could 
have  borne  the  shock  better  had  Millicent  yielded  to  a 
worthy  suitor,  but  it  was  unthinkable  that  she  should 
marry  Gladwyne.     She  must  be  saved  from  that  at  any 


A  FORCED  MARCH  25T 

cost,  tliougli  lie  thought  her  restored  hberty  would 
promise  nothing  to  him.  Even  if  her  attachment  to 
Gladwync  were  free  from  passion,  as  Nasmyth  had 
hinted,  she  must  cherish  some  degree  of  affection  and 
regard  for  the  man.  His  desertion  of  her  brother 
could  not  be  forgiven,  but  the  revelation  of  his  base- 
ness would  not  incline  her  favorably  toward  the  person 
who  made  it,  as  it  would  seem  to  be  merely  for  the  pur- 
pose of  separating  her  from  him. 

Lisle  set  his  lips  as  he  looked  bade  on  what  he  now 
considered  his  weakness  in  withholding  the  story  of 
Gladwyne's  treachery.  Had  he  declared  it  at  the  be- 
ginning, Mrs.  Gladwyne  would  have  suffered  no  more 
than  she  must  do,  and  it  would  have  saved  Millicent 
and  himself  from  the  pain  that  must  fall  upon  them. 
He  bitterly  regretted  that  he  had,  for  once,  departed 
from  his  usual  habit  of  simply  and  resolutely  carrying 
out  an  obvious  task  without  counting  the  cost.  Still, 
he  could  write  to  Nasmyth,  and  to  do  that  he  must 
reach  the  Hudson  Bay  post  on  the  morrow.  He 
trudged  on  over  the  snow  at  a  pace  that  kept  Crestwick 
breathless. 

The  bitter  wind  chilled  them  through  in  spite  of 
their  exertion,  and  it  had  increased  by  noon,  Avhen 
Lisle  halted  for  a  minute  or  two  to  look  about  him. 

They  Mere  in  the  bottom  of  a  valley  walled  in  by 
barren  hills ;  the  bank  of  the  frozen  river  was  marked 
out  b^-  snow-covered  stones,  but  none  of  them  was  large 
enough  to  rest  behind,  and  one  could  not  face  the  wind, 
motionless,  in  the  open.  While  he  stood,  a  stinging  icy 
powder  lashed  his  cheeks,  and  his  hands  grew  stiff  in 
their  mittens. 

"  There's  not  even  a  gulch  we  could  sit  down  in,"  he 


258  THE  LONG  PORTAGE 

said.  "  We'll  have  to  go  on ;  and  I'm  not  sorry,  for 
one  reason.     There's  not  much  time  to  spare." 

Crestwick's  eyes  were  smarting  from  the  white  glare ; 
having  started  when  weary  from  a  previous  journey, 
his  legs  and  shoulders  ached ;  but  he  had  no  choice  be- 
tween freezing  and  keeping  himself  slightly  warm  by 
steady  walking.  It  Avould,  he  knew,  be  harder  by  and 
by,  when  his  strength  began  to  fail  and  the  heat  died 
out  of  his  exhausted  body. 

"  We'll  have  to  find  a  shelter  for  the  tent  by  night- 
fall, or  dig  a  snowpit  where  there's  some  wood,"  he  de- 
clared.    "  I'll  try  to  hold  out." 

They  proceeded  and  the  afternoon's  march  tried  him 
severely.  Aching  all  over,  breathing  hard  when  they 
stumbled  among  the  stones  to  skirt  some  half-frozen 
rapid,  he  labored  on,  regretting  the  comforts  he  had 
abandoned  in  England  and  yet  not  wholly  sorry  that 
he  had  done  so.  His  moral  fiber  was  toughening,  for 
after  all  his  faults  were  largely  the  result  of  circum- 
stances and  environment.  Of  no  great  intelligence, 
and  imperfectly  taught,  he  had  been  neglected  by  his 
penurious  father  who  had  been  engaged  in  building  up 
his  commercial  prosperity;  his  mother  had  died  when 
he  was  young. 

One  of  his  marked  failings  was  an  Inability  to  esti- 
mate the  true  value  of  things.  He  possessed  something 
of  the  spirit  of  adventure  and  a  desire  to  escape  from 
the  drab  monotony  of  his  early  life,  but  these  found 
expression  in  betting  on  the  exploits  of  others  on  the 
football  field  and  the  turf,  a  haunting  of  the  music- 
halls,  and  the  cultivation  of  acquaintances  on  the  lowest 
rung  of  the  dramatic  profession.  All  this  offered  him 
some  glimpses  of  what  he  did  not  then  perceive  was 


A  FORCED  MARCH  259 

merely  sham  romance.  Later  when,  on  the  death  of 
his  father,  wealth  had  opened  a  wider  field,  deceived  by 
surface  appearances,  he  liad  made  the  same  mistake, 
selecting  wrong  models  and  then  chiefly  copying  their 
failings.  Even  his  rather  generous  enthusiasm  for 
those  whom  he  admired  had  led  him  farther  into  error. 

Now,  however,  his  eyes  had  been  partly  opened. 
Thrown  among  men  who  pretended  nothing,  in  a  land 
where  pretense  is  generally  useless,  he  was  learning  to 
depreciate  much  that  he  had  admired.  Called  upon  to 
make  the  true  adventure  he  had  blindly  sought  for,  he 
found  that  little  counted  except  the  elemental  qualities 
of  couraffe  and  steadfastness.  Dear  life  was  the  stake 
in  this  game,  and  the  prizes  were  greater  things  than 
a  repute  for  cheap  gallantry,  and  pieces  of  money ; 
they  were  the  subjugation  of  rock  and  river,  the  con- 
version of  the  wilderness  to  the  use  of  man.  Crestwick 
was  growing  in  the  light  he  gained,  and  in  proof  of  it 
he  stumbled  forward,  scourged  by  driving  snow, 
throughout  the  bitter  afternoon,  although  before  the 
end  of  it  he  could  scarcely  lift  his  weary  feet. 

It  was  getting  dark,  when  the}'  found  a  few  cedars 
clustered  in  the  shelter  of  a  crag,  and  Lisle  set  to  work 
hewinfj  off  the  lower  branches  and  cuttin^r  knots  of  the 
resinous  wood.  Crestwick  could  not  rouse  himself  to 
assist,  and  when  the  fire  was  kindled  he  lay  beside  it, 
shivering  miserably. 

"  There's  the  kettle  to  be  filled,"  suggested  Lisle. 
*'  You  could  break  the  ice  where  the  stream's  faster 
among  those  stones ;  we'd  boil  water  quicker  than  we'd 
melt  down  snow." 

Crestwick  got  up  with  an  effort  that  cost  him  a  good 
deal  and  stumbled  away  from  the  fire.     Then  a  gust  of 


260  THE  LONG  PORTAGE 

wind  met  him,  enveloping  him  in  snow-dust  and  taking 
the  power  of  motion  momentarily  away.  He  shook 
beneath  his  furs  in  the  biting  cold.  Still,  the  river  was 
near,  and  he  moved  on  another  few  yards,  when  the 
kettle  slipped  from  his  stiffened  hands  and  rolled  down 
a  steep  slope.  He  stopped,  wondering  stupidly  whether 
he  could  get  down  to  recover  it. 

"  Never   mind ;   come   back  1 "   Lisle    called   to   him. 
"  I'll  go  for  the  thing." 

The  lad  turned  at  the  summons  and  sank  down  again 
beside  the  fire. 

"  I  think  I'm  done,"  he  said  wearily.     "  I  may  feel 
a  little  more  fit  in  the  morning." 

Lisle  filled  the  kettle  and  prepared  supper,  and  after 
eating  voraciously,  Crestwick  lay  down  in  the  tent.  It 
was  in  comparative  shelter,  but  the  frost  grew  more 
severe  and  the  icy  wind,  eddying  in  behind  the  rock, 
threatened  to  overturn  the  frail  structure  every  now 
and  then.  He  tried  to  smoke,  but  found  no  comfort  in 
it  after  he  had  with  difficulty  lighted  his  pipe ;  he  did 
not  feel  inclined  to  talk,  and  it  was  a  relief  to  him 
when  Lisle  sank  into  slumber. 

Crestwick  long  remembered  that  night.  His  feet 
and  hands  tingled  painfully  with  the  cold,  the  branches 
he  lay  upon  found  out  the  sorest  parts  of  his  aching 
body,  and  he  would  have  risen  and  walked  up  and  down 
in  the  lee  of  the  rock  had  he  felt  capable  of  the  exer- 
tion, but  he  was  doubtful  whether  he  could  even  get 
upon  his  feet.  At  times  thick  smoke  crept  into  the 
tent,  and  though  it  set  him  to  coughing  it  was  really  a 
welcome  change  in  his  distressing  sensations.  He  was 
utterly  exhausted,  but  he  shivered  too  much  to  sleep. 
At  last,  a  little  while  before  daybreak.  Lisle  got  up 


A  FORCED  MARCH  261 

and  strode  away  to  the  river  after  stirring  tlie  fire,  and 
then,  most  cruel  thing  of  all,  the  lad  became  sensible 
of  a  soothing  drowsiness  when  it  was  too  late  for  him 
to  indulge  in  it.  For  a  few  moments  he  struggled 
hard,  and  then  blissfully  yielded.  He  was  awakened 
by  his  companion,  who  was  shaking  him  as  he  laid  a 
plate  and  pannikin  at  his  feet. 

"  We  must  be  off  in  a  few  minutes,"  he  announced. 

Crestwick  raised  himself  with  one  hand  and  blinked. 

*'  I  don't  know  whether  I  can  manage  it." 

"  Then,"  responded  Lisle,  hiding  his  compassion, 
"  you'll  have  to  decide  which  of  two  things  you'll  do  — 
you  can  stay  here  until  I  come  back,  or  you  can  take 
the  trail  with  me.     I  must  go  on." 

Crestwick  shrank  from  the  painful  choice.  He  did 
not  think  that  he  could  walk ;  but  to  prolong  the  ex- 
perience of  the  previous  night  for  another  twenty-four 
hours  or  more  seemed  even  worse.  He  ate  his  break- 
fast ;  and  then  with  a  tense  effort  he  got  upon  his  feet 
and  slipped  the  straps  of  the  pack  over  his  shoulders. 
Moving  unevenly,  he  set  off,  lest  he  should  yield  to  his 
weariness  and  sink  down  again. 

"  Come  on ! "  he  called  back  to  Lisle. 

He  sometimes  wondered  afterward  how  he  endured 
throughout  the  day.  He  was  half  dazed ;  he  blundered 
forward,  numbed  in  body,  with  his  mind  too  dulled  to 
be  conscious  of  more  than  a  despairing  dejection.  As 
he  scarcely  expected  to  reach  the  post,  it  did  not  mat- 
ter how  soon  he  fell.  Yet,  b}'  instinctive  effort  stronger 
than  conscious  volition,  the  struggle  for  life  continued; 
and  Lisle's  keen  anxiety  concerning  him  diminished  as 
the  hours  went  by.  Every  step  brought  them  nearer 
warmth  and  shelter,  and  made  it  more  possible  that  help 


262  THE  LONG  PORTAGE 

could  be  obtained  if  the  lad  collapsed.  That  was  the 
only  course  that  would  be  available  because  they  were 
now  crossing  a  lofty  wind-swept  elevation  bare  of  tim- 
ber. 

It  was  afternoon  when  they  entered  a  long  valley, 
and  Lisle,  grasping  Crcstwick's  arm,  partly  supported 
him  as  they  stumbled  down  the  steep  descent.  Stunted 
trees  straggled  up  toward  them  as  they  pushed  on 
down  the  hollow,  and  Lisle  surmised  that  the  journey 
was  almost  over.  That  was  fortunate,  for  he  had  some 
trouble  in  keeping  his  companion  upon  his  feet.  At 
length  a  faint  howl  rose  from  ahead  and  Lisle  stopped 
and  listened  intently.  The  sound  was  repeated  more 
plainly,  and  was  followed  by  a  confused  snarling,  the 
clamor  of  quarreling  dogs. 

"  Malamutes ;  the  freighters  can't  have  started  yet 
with  their  sledges,"  he  said  to  Crestwick,  who  was  hold- 
ing on  to  him.  "  I  don't  think  they  can  be  more  than, 
half  a  mile  off." 

"  I'll  manage  that  somehow,"  replied  the  lad. 

They  went  on  through  thickening  timber,  until  at 
last  a  log  house  came  into  sight.  In  front  of  it  stood 
two  sledges,  and  a  pack  of  snapping,  snarling  dogs 
were  scuffling  in  the  snow.  Lisle  was  devoutly  thank- 
ful when  he  opened  the  door  and  helped  the  lad  into  a 
log-walled  room  where  four  men,  two  of  whom  wore 
furs,  were  talking.  The  air  was  dry  and  strongly 
heated,  besides  being  heavy  with  tobacco  smoke  and 
Crestwick  sank  limply  into  a  chair.  Gasping  hard,  he 
leaned  forward,  as  if  unable  to  hold  himself  upright; 
but  Lisle  was  not  alarmed:  he  had  suffered  at  times, 
when   exhausted,  from  the  reaction  that  follows  the 


A  FORCED  MARCH  263 

change  from  the  bitter  cold  outside  to  the  stuffiness  of 
a  stove-heated  room. 

"  Played  out ;  I'd  some  trouble  to  get  him  along,"  he 
explained  to  the  men.  "  We're  going  on  to  the  claims 
at  the  gulch  to-morrow."  Then  he  addressed  the  two 
in  furs :     "  I  guess  you'll  take  me  out  a  letter?  " 

"  Why,  of  course ;  but  you'll  have  to  hustle,"  said 
one  of  them,  and  Lisle  tumed  to  a  man  in  a  deerskin 
jacket  whom  he  took  for  the  agent. 

"  Can  you  give  me  some  paper?  " 

"  Sure !     Sit  down  right  here." 

It  was  not  easy  to  write  with  stiffened  fingers  or  to 
collect  his  thoughts  with  his  head  swimming  from  the 
change  of  temperature,  but  he  infonned  Nasmyth 
briefly  of  what  he  had  heard  and  asked  how  much  truth 
there  was  in  it.  He  added  that  he  would  have  started 
for  England  forthwith,  only  that  he  could  not  be  sure 
that  this  was  necessary,  and  to  leave  his  work  unfinished 
might  jeopardize  the  interests  of  people  who  had  staked 
a  good  deal  of  money  on  the  success  of  his  schemes. 
Nevertheless  he  would  come  at  once,  if  Nasmyth  con- 
sidered the  match  likely  to  be  brought  about  and 
would  cable  him  at  Victoria,  from  whence  a  message 
would  reach  him.  In  the  meanwhile,  Nasmyth  could 
make  such  use  of  their  knowledge  of  Gladwyne's  treach- 
ery as  he  thought  judicious. 

Shortly  after  he  had  written  the  letter  the  two  men 
in  furs  set  out,  and  when  the  sound  of  their  departure 
had  died  away  the  agent  addressed  his  guests. 

"  I'll  fix  you  some  supper ;  you  look  as  if  you  needed 
it.     Rustle  round,  Larry,  and  get  the  frying-pan  on." 

They  ate  an  excellent  meal  and  shortly   afterward 


264!  THE  LONG  PORTAGE 

Crestwick  crawled  into  a  wooden  bunk,  where  he  reveled 
in  the  unusual  warmth  and  the  softness  of  a  mattress 
filled  with  swamp-hay.  He  had  never  lain  down  to  rest 
in  England  with  the  delicious  sense  of  physical  comfort 
that  now  crept  over  his  worn-out  body. 


\ 


CHAPTER  XXIV 

MILLICENT    SUMMONS    HEB,    GUIDE  . 

LISLE  was  living  luxuriously  in  Victoria  when 
Nasmyth's  answer  reached  him  by  mail. 
Though  it  was  still  winter  among  the  ranges 
of  the  North,  the  seaboard  city  had  been  bathed  in 
clear  sunshine  and  swept  by  mild  west  winds  during  the 
past  few  da3's,  and  after  the  bitter  frost  and  driving 
snow  Lisle  rejoiced  in  the  genial  warmth  and  bright- 
ness. There  are  few  more  finely  situated  cities  than 
Victoria,  with  its  views  across  the  strait  of  the  white 
heights  of  Mount  Baker  and  the  Olympians  on  the 
American  shore,  even  in  the  Pacific  Province  where 
the  environment  of  all  is  beautiful. 

Lisle  was  sitting  in  the  hotel  lounge  after  dinner 
when  three  English  letters  were  handed  to  him.  The 
sight  of  them  affected  him  curiously,  and  leaning  back 
in  his  chair  he  glanced  round  the  room.  Like  the  rest 
of  the  great  building  in  which  he  had  his  quarters,  it 
was  sumptuously  furnished,  but  ever^'thing  was  ag- 
gressively new.  There  was,  he  felt,  little  that  sug- 
gested fixity  of  tenure  and  continuity  in  the  West ;  the 
times  changed  too  rapidly,  people  came  and  went,  alert, 
feverishly  bustling,  optimistic.  In  the  old  land,  his 
friends  among  the  favored  few  dwelt  with  marked  Eng- 
lish calm  in  homes  that  had  apparently  been  built  to 
stand    forever.     Yet   he    was    Western,   by    deliberate 

265 


266  THE  LONG  PORTAGE 

choice  as  well  as  by  birth ;  while  there  was  much  to  He 
said  for  the  other  life  which  had  its  seductive  charm, 
the  strenuous,  eager  one  that  he  led  was  better. 

He  opened  the  letters  —  one  from  Bella,  announcing 
her  engagement  and  inquiring  about  her  brother;  a 
second  from  Millicent,  stating  that  it  was  decided  that 
she  would  visit  British  Columbia  in  the  early  summer; 
and  a  third  from  Nasmyth,  which,  dreading  its  con- 
tents, he  kept  to  the  last. 

He  was,  however,  slightly  reassured  when  he  opened 
it.  Nasmyth's  remarks  were  brief  but  clear  enough. 
There  was  no  actual  engagement  between  IMlllicent  and 
Clarence,  though  Mrs.  Gladwyne  was  doing  her  ut- 
most to  bring  one  about  and  Millicent  saw  the  man 
frequentl}'.  In  the  meanwhile,  he  did  not  think  there 
was  an3'thing  to  be  done ;  Lisle  could  not  conclusively 
prove  his  story,  though  he  could  make  a  disastrous  sen- 
sation, which  was  to  be  avoided,  and  it  would  be  wiser  to 
defer  the  disclosure  until  the  engagement  should  actu- 
ally be  announced.  Millicent's  attachment  to  Clarence 
was  not  likely  to  grow  very  much  stronger  in  a  month  or 
two.      In  conclusion,  he  urged  Lisle  to  wait. 

On  the  whole.  Lisle  agreed  with  him.  Somehow 
he  felt  that  Millicent  would  never  marry  Gladwyne. 
Apart  from  his  interference,  he  thought  that  her  in- 
stincts would,  even  at  the  last  moment,  cause  her  to 
recoil  from  the  match.  Furthermore,  turning  to  an- 
other aspect  of  the  matter,  he  could  not  clear  his  dead 
comrade's  memory  by  telling  a  tale  that  was  founded 
merely  on  probabilities.  There  was  nothing  for  It 
but  to  await  events,  though  he  was  still  determined  to 
start  for  England  the  moment  Nasmyth's  letter  made 
this  seem  advisable. 


MILLICENT  SUMMONS  HER  GUIDE      267 

Shortly  afterward,  one  of  his  business  associates 
came  in :  a  j'oung  man  with  a  breezy,  restless  manner 
who  would  not  have  been  trusted  in  England  with  the 
responsibilities  he  most  efficiently  discharged.  In  the 
West,  a  staid  and  imposing  air  carries  no  great  weight 
with  it  and  eagerness  and  even  rather  unguided  activ- 
ity are  seldom  accounted  drawbacks.  There  dulness 
is  dreaded  more  than  rashness. 

"  I've  seen  Walthew  and  Slyde,"  he  announced. 
"  It  will  be  all  right  about  the  money ;  we'll  put  the 
hydraulic  plant  proposition  through  at  the  next  Board 
meeting.      You'll  have  to  go  back  right  away." 

"  I've  only  just  come  down ;  the  frost's  not  out  of 
me  yet,"  Lisle  grumbled.  "  Besides,  you  seem  to  be 
going  ahead  rather  fast  here  in  the  city.  Walthew's 
a  little  too  much  of  a  hustler ;  I'd  rather  he'd  stop  to 
think.     You're  almost  as  bad,  Garnet." 

The  young  man  laughed. 

"  I  guess  you  can't  help  it,  it's  the  English  streak  in 
you ;  but  in  a  way  you're  right.  Fact  is  Walthew  and 
I  have  hustled  the  rest  of  the  crowd  most  off  their 
feet,  and  we  mean  to  keep  them  on  the  jump.  Last 
meeting  old  ]Macalan's  eyes  were  bulging  with  horror, 
he  could  hardly  stammer  out  his  indignation  —  said 
our  extravagance  was  sinful.  Anyway,  you've  got  to 
go." 

Lisle  made  an  acquiescent  grimace.  His  face  was 
strongly  darkened  by  exposure  to  the  frost  and  the 
glare  of  the  snow ;  his  hands  were  scarred,  with  several 
ugly  recently-healed  wounds  on  them. 

"  Well,"  he  complied  with  some  reluctance,  "  if  it's 
necessary." 

"  It  is,"  Garnet  explained.     "  Think  we're  going  to 


268  THE  LONG  PORTAGE 

have  washing  plant  worth  a  good  many  thousand  dol- 
lars left  lying  in  the  bush  or  dropped  into  rivers? 
You'll  have  to  arrange  for  transport  and  break  new 
trails.  You  can  do  it  best  when  the  snow's  still  on 
the  ground,  and  that  plant  must  start  working  soon 
after  the  thaw  comes.  We've  got  to  justify  our  ex- 
penditure while  the  season's  open." 

"  You  haven't  got  your  authority  to  buy  the  plant 

yet." 

Garnet  chuckled. 

"  It  was  ordered,  provisionally,  the  day  you  came 
down ;  the  makers  are  only  waiting  for  a  wire  from 
the  Board  meeting.  In  fact,  I  shouldn't  be  astonished 
if  some  of  the  work  isn't  in  progress  now." 

Lisle  was  quick  of  thought  and  prompt  in  action, 
but  he  sometimes  felt  as  if  Garnet  took  his  breath 
away. 

"  If  you  have  it  all  arranged,  I  may  as  well  agree," 
he  laughed.     "  I'll  take  Crestwick  back." 

"  That  reminds  me ;  he  said  something  about  taking 
an  interest  —  asked  if  I  could  get  him  shares  at  a 
moderate  premium,  though  he  owned  that  his  trustees 
might  make  trouble  about  letting  him  have  the  money." 

"  He's  not  to  have  them  1 "  Lisle  replied  emphat- 
ically. "  What's  more,  the  trustees  won't  part  with  a 
dollar  unless  I  guarantee  the  project  —  I've  been  in 
communication  with  them.  Rest  assured  that  the  idea 
won't  get  my  endorsement." 

"  I  could  never  get  at  the  workings  of  the  English 
mind,"  Garnet  declared.  "  Now  if  my  relatives  had 
any  money,  I'd  rush  them  all  in.  This  is  the  safest 
and  best-managed  mining  proposition  on  the  Pacific 


MIIXICENT  SUMMONS  HER  GUIDE      269 

Slope.  What  kind  of  morality  is  it  that  gathers  in 
the  general  investor  and  keeps  your  friends  out  ?  " 

"  I  don't  know ;  it  doesn't  concern  the  point.  I'm 
actuated  by  what  you  may  call  a  prejudice.  You 
can't  remove  it." 

"  Well,"  Garnet  responded  good-humoredly,  "  It's 
a  pretty  tougli  country  up  yonder  and  I  suppose  the 
lad's  of  some  service.  You're  saving  us  a  pile  of 
money  in  experts'  fees  and  I  don't  see  why  you 
shouldn't  put  him  on  the  company's  payroll.  I  men- 
tioned the  thing  to  Walthew ;  he  was  agreeable." 

They  talked  about  other  matters  and  presently 
Crestwick  came  in,  smartly  dressed  and  looking  re- 
markably vigorous  and  clear-skinned.  There  were 
many  points  of  difference  between  his  appearance  now 
and  when  Lisle  had  first  met  him. 

"  Mr.  Garnet  has  a  proposition  to  make,"  Lisle  in- 
formed him ;  and  the  Canadian  briefly  stated  it. 

Crestwick  did  not  seem  surprised,  nor  did  he  dis- 
play much  appreciation. 

"  To  tell  the  truth,  I  thought  you  might  have  men- 
tioned tlie  matter  before,"  he  remarked.  "  Still,  if 
you  want  my  services,  you'll  have  to  go  up  twenty 
dollars." 

"  A  week.''  "  Garnet  asked  ironically.  "  You  prom- 
ise well ;  if  you  stay  here  a  year  or  two  you'll  make 
a  useful  and  enterprising  citizen.  We  could  get  an 
experienced  boss  packer  for  what  I  offered  you." 

*'  Down  here,  yes.  When  he  got  to  where  the  claims 
are,  he'd  almost  certainly  drop  you  and  turn  miner, 
and  3'ou  couldn't  blame  him.  A  man  deserves  a  hun- 
dred dollars  a  day  merely  for  living  up  yonder.     But 


2T0  THE  LONG  PORTAGE 

it's  a  month  I  was  speaking  of.  If  you  want  me,  you'll 
have  to  come  up." 

Garnet  laughed. 

"  I  guess  I  can  fix  it ;  but  we'll  get  our  value  out 
of  you." 

"  That's  a  compliment,  if  you  look  at  it  in  one 
way,"  Crestwick  grinned  in  reply. 

When  Garnet  had  left  them,  he  turned  to  Lisle. 

"  Thanks  awfully.     Of  course,  it  was  your  idea." 

"  Garnet  suggested  the  thing ;  that's  more  flattering, 
isn't  it?" 

Crestwick  looked  at  him,  smiling. 

"  I'm  not  to  be  played  so  easily  as  I  was  when  I 
first  met  you,"  he  said.  "  Of  course,  in  a  sense,  the 
pay's  no  great  inducement  to  me;  it's  the  idea  of  be- 
ing offered  it.  I'm  going  to  advise  old  Barnes,  my 
trustee ;  he  was  fond  of  saying  that  I  was  fortunate 
in  being  left  well  off  because  I'd  never  earn  sixpence 
as  long  as  I  lived,  until  I  stopped  the  thing  by  offer- 
ing him  ten  to  one  I'd  go  out  and  make  it  in  a  couple 
of  hours  by  carrying  somebody's  bag  from  the  sta- 
tion.    Anj^how,  this  is  the  first  move." 

"  Then  you're  going  farther?  " 

"  Quite  so,"  was  the  cheerful  answer.  "  I'll  be  a 
director  of  this  company  before  I've  finished.  You 
can't  stop  my  buying  shares  when  I  come  into  my 
property." 

Lisle  was  conscious  of  some  relief.  It  was  a  laud- 
able ambition  and  Crestwick  promised  to  be  much  less 
of  a  responsibility  than  he  had  once  anticipated. 

"  I've  a  letter  from  Bella,"  Lisle  told  him.  "  She 
still  desires  to  be  informed  if  you're  getting  along 


MILLICENT  SUMMONS  HER  GUIDE      271 

satisfactorily.  I  think  I  can  tell  her  there's  no  cause 
for  uneasiness." 

"  Bella's  a  good  sort,"  returned  Crestwick.  "  She'll 
stop  asking  such  questions  by  and  by.  At  least,  I 
think  she'll  have  some  grounds  for  doing  so.'* 

They  went  out  into  the  city  and  a  week  afterward 
they  sailed  together  for  the  North.  It  was  still  winter 
in  the  wilds,  and  though  that  made  Lisle's  work  a 
little  easier,  because  rivers  and  lakes  and  muskegs 
were  frozen,  he  found  it  sufficiently  arduous.  He  had 
to  survey  and  break  new  trails  suitable  for  the  convey- 
ance of  heavy  machinery,  up  rugged  valleys  and  over 
high  divides,  and  to  arrange  for  transport  —  canoes 
here,  a  log-bridge  there,  relays  of  packers  farther  on. 
No  man's  efforts  could  be  wasted,  for  time  was  precious 
and  wages  are  high  in  the  wilderness.  Then,  when  at 
last  the  frost  relaxed  its  grip  and  rock  and  snow  and 
loosened  soil  came  thundering  down  the  gullies  in  huge 
masses,  the  work  grew  more  difficult  as  he  began  to 
build  a  dam. 

Some  of  the  men  sent  up  to  him,  artizans  from  the 
cities,  sailor  deserters,  dismayed  by  the  toils  of  the 
journey  and  the  nature  of  their  tusks,  promptly 
mutinied  on  arrival.  Others  dispatched  after  them 
failed  to  turn  up,  and  Lisle  never  discovered  what  be- 
came of  them.  The  camp-site  was  a  sea  of  puddled 
mire  with  big  stones  in  it ;  tents  and  shacks  were  al- 
most continuously  dripping;  and  every  hollow  was 
filled  with  a  raging  torrent.  Nobody  had  dry  clothes, 
even  to  sleep  in ;  the  work  was  mostly  carried  on  knee- 
deep  in  water,  and  at  first  things  got  little  better  as 
the  days  grew  warmer.     The  hill-benches  steamed  and 


272  THE  LONG  PORTAGE 

clammy  mists  wrapped  the  camp  at  night;  the  down- 
ward rush  of  melting  snow  increased,  and  several  times 
wild  floods  swept  away  portions  of  the  dam  and  half- 
built  flume. 

In  spite  of  it  all,  the  work  went  on :  foot  by  foot  the 
wall  of  pile-bound  rock  rose  and  the  long  wooden 
conduit  curved  away  do\v^l  the  valley ;  and  when  at 
length  the  hydraulic  plant  began  to  aiTive,  piecemeal, 
Lisle  found  Crestwick  eminently  useful.  He  superin- 
tended the  transport,  patrolling  the  trails  and  keeping 
them  repaired.  His  skill  with  shovel  and  ax  was 
negligible,  but  he  could  send  a  man  or  two  to  mend 
the  gap  where  the  path  had  slipped  away  down  some 
gully  or  to  fling  a  couple  of  logs  across  a  swollen 
creek  that  could  not  be  forded.  He  got  thinner  and 
harder  from  constant  toil  and  from  sleeping,  often 
scantily  fed,  unsheltered  in  the  rain. 

After  a  while,  however,  there  was  a  pleasant  change : 
the  days  grew  hot,  the  nights  were  clear  and  cold, 
and  the  short,  vivid  summer  broke  suddenly  upon  the 
mountain  land.  Then  it  seldom  rained,  as  the  high 
seaward  barrier  condensed  most  of  the  Pacific  moisture, 
but  at  times  the  clouds  which  crossed  the  summits 
unbroken  descended  in  a  copious  deluge,  and  it  was  in 
the  midst  of  such  a  downpour  that  Crestwick  returned 
to  camp  one  evening  after  a  week's  absence  on  the 
trail.  His  dripping  garments  were  ragged,  his  boots 
gaped  open,  and  his  soft  felt  hat  had  fallen  shape- 
less about  his  head.  He  found  Lisle  in  a  similar  guise 
sitting  at  his  evening  meal. 

"  Plave  they  got  the  pipes  and  those  large  castings 
across  the  big  ravine?"  Lisle  asked. 

"  Yes,    that   has    been    done,"    Crestwick    answered. 


MILLICENT  SUMMONS  HER  GUIDE      273 

"  By  the  way,  one  of  the  packers  told  me  that  the 
man  who's  coming  up  to  run  the  plant  —  Carsley,  isn't 
it?  —  has  arrived.  I^iere  were  some  fittintrs  or  some- 
thing  wrong  and  he  stopped  behind  to  investigate,  but 
the  packer  seemed  to  think  he'd  get  through  soon 
after  I  did.     That  turns  us  loose,  doesn't  it?  " 

"  I  dare  say  I  could  hand  things  over  to  him  in 
about  a  week,"  replied  Lisle.  "  Then  we'll  clear  out. 
I  suppose  you  won't  be  sorry?  " 

Crestwick  stretched  out  his  feet  to  display  his 
broken  boots  and  rent  trousers. 

*'  Well,"  he  said,  "  since  I  left  here,  I've  spent  a 
good  deal  of  my  time  in  an  icy  creek,  and  it's  nearly 
a  week  since  I  had  any  sleep  worth  speaking  of.  We 
had  to  make  a  bridge  for  the  freighters  to  bring  those 
castings  over  and  we'd  no  end  of  trouble  to  get  the 
stringers  fixed  —  the  stream  was  strong  and  we  had  to 
build  a  pier  in  it.  Not  long  ago,  I'd  have  considered 
anybody  who  did  this  kind  of  thing  without  compul- 
sion mad,  but  in  some  mysterious  way  it  grows  on 
you.  I  don't  pretend  to  explain  it,  but  it  won't  be 
with  unmixed  delight  that  I'll  go  back  to  the  city." 

He  paused  and  fumbled  in  his  pocket. 

"  I  was  forgetting  vour  mail.  I'm  afraid  it's  rather 
pulpy,  but  I  couldn't  help  that.  By  the  way,  I'd  a 
letter  from  Bella,  written  at  the  Frontenac,  Quebec. 
She's  brought  Carcw  out ;  they're  going  to  Glacier 
very  soon,  and  she  still  intends  to  look  me  up." 

Lisle  opened  the  letters  handed  him  and  managed 
to  read  them,  though  their  condition  fully  bore  out 
Crestwick's  description.  Two  or  three  were  on  busi- 
ness matters,  but  there  was  one  from  Millicent,  and 
he  started  at  the  first  few  lines. 


274  THE  LONG  PORTAGE 

"  Miss  Gladwyne  and  Miss  Hume  have  sailed  —  they 
must  have  landed  a  week  ago,"  he  announced.  "  She 
wants  to  go  over  the  ground  her  brother  traversed  — 
you  have  heard  of  that  project.  Nasmyth  sailed  a 
week  earlier  to  aiTange  matters  at  this  end ;  but  I  don't 
know  how  INIiss  Hume  Avill  get  along." 

"  It's  merely  a  question  of  transport,"  asserted 
Crestwick  with  the  air  of  an  authority  on  the  subject. 
*'  So  long  as  you  provide  sufficient  packers,  with  re- 
lays from  supply  bases,  you  can  travel  in  comparative 
comfort,  though  it's  expensive."  Then  an  idea  oc- 
curred to  him.  "  They're  pretty  sure  to  run  across 
Bella ;  Miss  Gladwyne  knows  Carew." 

Lisle  sat  silent  a  few  minutes,  conscious  of  a  strong 
satisfaction.  Millicent  was  in  Canada,  and  there  was 
no  mention  of  Gladwyne !  Then  it  struck  him  as  curi- 
ous that  Bella  should  have  come  over  at  the  same  time. 
As  Millicent  knew  Carew,  it  was  very  probable  that 
Bella  would  insist  on  joining  the  expedition,  which 
Millicent  might  agree  to,  if,  as  seemed  likely,  her 
rather  elderly  companion  had  to  be  left  behind. 
Nasmyth  had,  no  doubt,  already  reached  British 
Columbia ;  and  it  looked  as  if  those  indirectly  brought 
together  by  George  Gladwyne's  tragic  death  would  be 
reunited  at  the  scene  of  it.  This  was,  Lisle  reflected, 
merely  the  result  of  a  natural  sequence  of  events,  but 
there  was  for  all  that  something  strangely  significant 
about  it. 

"  Well,"  he  said,  "  it  has  been  arranged  that  I'm  to 
act  as  guide,  and  Miss  Gladwyne  says  they'll  wait  for 
me.  As  that's  the  case,  I  don't  see  why  I  shouldn't 
start  as  soon  as  Carsley  gets  through.  I  shouldn't 
:?ronder  if  he  brings  a  letter  from  Nasmyth.     It  will  be 


MILLICENT  SUMMONS  HER  GUIDE      275 

a  tough  journey,  and  I'll  have  to  break  a  new  trail. 
Are  you  coming,  or  will  you  head  for  Vancouver  to 
join  Bella?  " 

"  We'll  stick  together,"  replied  the  lad.  "  Bella's 
to  stay  over  here  some  months,  and  if  she  decides  to 
join  Miss  Gladwj'ne  she'll  leave  Glacier  long  before  I 
could  reach  the  place." 

Lisle  rose  and  shook  out  his  pipe. 

"  Then,"  he  responded,  "  I'll  take  a  look  around,  and 
you  had  better  start  off  the  first  thing  to-morrow  and 
hurry  those  castings  on.  There's  a  good  deal  to  be 
done  if  we're  to  get  away  when  Carsley  turns  up." 


CHAPTER  XXV 

A  RELIABLE  MAN 

THE  sun  had  just  dipped  behind  a  black  ridge 
of  hills,  and  the  lake  lay  still,  mirroring  the 
tall  cedars  on  its  farther  shore.  A  faint  chill 
"was  creeping  into  the  mountain  air,  which  was  scented 
with  resinous  smoke,  and  somewhere  across  the  water 
a  loon  was  calling.  A  cluster  of  tents  stood  upon  the 
shingle,  and  in  front  of  the  largest  Millicent  reclined 
in  a  camp-chair.  Near  her  Miss  Hume  sat  indus- 
triously embroidering;  and  Nasmyth  lay  upon  the 
stones.  Bella  occupied  another  camp-chair,  a  young 
man  with  a  pleasant  brown  face  sitting  at  her  feet; 
and  farther  along  the  beach  a  group  of  packers  in  blue 
shirts  and  duck  trousers  lay  smoking  about  a  fire.  By 
and  by  one  rose  and  when  he  began  to  hack  at  a  drift- 
log  the  sharp  thudding  of  his  ax  startled  the  loon 
which  departed  with  a  peal  of  shrieking  laughter. 

The  party  had  reached  the  fringe  of  the  wilderness 
after  a  long  stage  journey  from  the  railroad  through 
a  rugged  country.  They  had  met  with  no  mishaps 
beyond  a  delay  in  the  transport  of  some  of  their  bag^ 
gage,  and  everything  had  been  made  comparatively 
easy  for  them ;  but  they  knew  that  henceforward  there 
might  be  a  difference.  Man  must  depend  largely  upon 
his  own  natural  resources  in  the  wilds,  where,  after 
furnishing  the  traveler  with  the  best  equipment  and 

276 


A  RELIABLE  MAN  277 

packers  to  carry  it,  the  power  of  wealth  is  strictly 
limited.  A  recognition  of  the  fact  hovered  more  or 
less  darkly  in  all  their  minds,  but  ]Milliccnt  was  the 
first  to  hint  at  it. 

"  So  far  we  have  had  absolutely  nothing  to  complain 
of  except  a  little  jolting  in  the  stage,"  she  said.  "  I'm 
beginning  to  understand  why  adventurous  sight-seers 
are  coming  out  here  —  it's  a  glorious  country  !  " 

"  It's  my  duty  to  point  out  that  it  won't  be  quite 
the  same  as  we  go  on,"  Nasmyth  remarked.  *'  What 
do  you  say,  Carew  ?  " 

"It  doesn't  matter;  he's  said  it  all  before,"  Bella 
broke  in.  "  I've  had  to  listen  to  appalling  accounts 
of  his  previous  adventures  in  Canada,  which  were,  no 
doubt,  meant  to  deter  me;  but  the  reality  is  that  the 
hotels  at  Banff  and  Glacier  are  remarkably  comfort' 
able,  and  I  haven't  the  least  fault  to  find  with  this 
camp.  We  ought  to  be  grateful  to  i\Iilliv.cnt  for  let- 
ting us  come,  and  though  Arthur  hinted  that  it  would 
be  a  rather  sociable  honeymoon,  I  said  that  was  a 
safeguard.  One's  illusions  might  get  sooner  shattered 
in  a  more  conventional  one."  She  stooped  and 
ruffled  her  husband's  hair.  "  Still,  he  hasn't  deteri- 
orated very  much  on  closer  acquaintance,  and  perhaps 
I'm  fortunate  in  this." 

Millicent  sat  silent  for  a  few  moments.  She  knew, 
to  her  sorrow,  one  man  who  did  not  improve  the  more 
one  saw  of  him,  and  that  was  the  man  she  had  tacitly 
agreed  to  marry.  She  could  not  tell  why  she  had 
done  so  —  she  had  somehow  drifted  into  it.  Interest, 
family  associations,  a  feeling  that  could  best  be  de- 
scribed as  liking,  even  pity,  had  placed  their  part  in 
influencing  her,  and  now  she  realized  that  she  could 


278  THE  LONG  PORTAGE 

not  honorably  draw  back  when  he  fonnally  claimed 
her.  She  laughed  as  one  of  the  packers  who  had  a 
good  voice  broke  into  a  song. 

"  That's  the  climax ;  it  needs  only  the  cockney  ac- 
cent to  make  the  thing  complete,"  she  said.  "  When 
I  was  last  in  London,  one  heard  that  silly  jingle  every- 
where.    I  suppose  it's  a  triumph  of  the  music-halls." 

"  Or  of  modern  civilization  —  a  rendering  of  dis- 
tance of  no  account,"  suggested  Carew.  "  There's  a 
good  deal  to  be  said  for  the  latter  achievement,  as  we 
are  discovering." 

"  Distance,"  declared  Bella,  "  still  counts  for  some- 
thing here.  I've  been  thinking  about  Jim  all  day; 
imagining  him  dragging  his  canoe  through  the  timber 
beyond  those  hills,  and  wondering  whether  he'd  find 
us  when  he  got  to  the  other  side." 

"  She  has  been  doing  more,"  her  husband  broke 
in.  "  Though  she  hasn't  confessed  it,  she  has  been 
looking  out  for  him  ever  since  this  morning.  In  fact, 
I  discovered  that  our  cook  is  keeping  a  supper  ready 
that  would  satisfy  four  or  five  men." 

Bella  turned  to  Millicent  with  a  smile. 

"  Do  you  think  the  meal  will  be  wasted.''  "  she  asked. 

"  No ;  I  can  hardly  believe  it." 

"  Mark  the  assurance  of  that  answer,"  commented 
Carew.  *'  A  man  couldn't  feel  it ;  it's  irrational. 
Miss  Gladwyne  speaks  with  a  certainty  that  our  guide 
will  come,  though  she  has  nothing  to  base  her  calcula- 
tions on  —  she  doesn't  know  the  distance  or  the  diffi- 
culties of  the  way." 

"  What  does  that  matter.?  "  Bella  retorted.  "  She 
knows  the  man." 


A  RELIABLE  MAN  279 

Carew  made  a  grimace. 

"  A  woman's  reasoning.  As  we've  notliing  better  to 
do,  I'll  try  to  show  the  absurdity  of  it.  A  man,  so 
far  as  he  concerns  this  discussion,  consists  of  a  certain 
quantity  of  bones,  with  muscles  and  tendons  capable 
of  setting  them  in  motion  — " 

"  Be  careful,"  Bella  warned  him.  "  It's  safer  to 
avoid  these  details.  Besides,  you're  leaving  something 
out ;  I  don't  mean  the  nerve-cells,  but  the  inner  person- 
ality, whatever  it  is,  that  commands  them." 

"  I'm  trying  to  show  that,  as  a  mechanical  structure, 
he  is  capable  of  moving  his  own  weight  and  so  much 
extra  a  limited  distance  in  a  given  time,  so  long  as 
he  can  secure  the  necessary  food  and  sleep.  Neither 
the  weight  nor  the  distance  can  be  increased  except 
by  an  effort  which,  if  continued,  will  soon  reduce  them 
below  their  former  level." 

Bella  laughed. 

"  Yes,"  she  said,  "  that's  how  you  reason  —  mechan- 
ically.    We're  different." 

"  I'll  take  quite  another  line,"  Nasmyth  intei'posed. 
"  Lisle's  traversing  a  country  new  to  him ;  he  can't 
tell  what  rapids,  ranges,  or  thick  timber  may  cause 
delay.  No  amount  of  determination  will  enable  one, 
for  instance,  to  knock  more  than  a  few  minutes  off 
the  time  needed  to  carry  a  canoe  round  a  portage,  nor 
by  any  effort  can  one  cross  a  range  as  quickly  as  one 
can  walk  up  a  valley.     Isn't  that  clear,  ^lillicent.''  " 

There  was  a  smile  in  the  girl's  e^'^es. 

"  Yes,"  she  replied,  "  but,  all  the  same,  Lisle's  sup- 
per's waiting." 

"  Such    confidence    makes    one    jealous,"    grumbled 


280  THE  LONG  PORTAGE 

Carew.  "  Lisle,  whom  I  haven't  met,  is  evidently  a 
man  who  keeps  his  promise.  That  means  a  good 
deal." 

"  A  very  great  deal,"  Bella  assured  him.  "  Since 
one's  bound  to  meet  with  difficulties  one  can't  foresee, 
it  proves  that  one  man  has  resource,  resolution,  and 
many  other  eminently  useful  qualities ;  but  all  this  is 
getting  too  serious.  I'd  better  point  out  that  Lisle 
hasn't  even  promised  to  meet  us  here  at  any  particu- 
lar time."  She  paused  and  laughed  mischievously. 
"  Millicent  merely  sent  for  him,  mentioning  to-morrow 
as  the  day  she  would  like  to  start." 

A  little  color  crept  into  Millicent's  face,  but  Bella 
went  on: 

*'  She  called  and  I  haven't  the  least  doubt  that  our 
guide  set  out,  over  ranges,  up  rapids,  across  wide  lakes. 
One  can't  imagine  that  man  taking  it  easily,  and 
there's  the  obvious  fact  that  Jim  will  have  to  keep  up 
with  him.  He  will  find  it  hard,  but  I  dare  say  it  will 
do  him  good." 

Nasmyth  laughed  and  strolled  away  with  Carew. 
The  sunset  green  grew  dimmer  behind  the  hills  and  a 
pale  half-moon  appeared  above  the  shadowy  woods. 
It  was  very  still,  except  for  the  lapping  of  the  water 
upon  the  stones. 

Bella  leaned  back  lazily  in  her  chair. 

"  This  is  delightful,"  she  exclaimed.  "  Didn't 
Clarence  want  to  come.'*  " 

The  unexpectedness  of  the  question  startled  Milli- 
cent into  answering: 

"  He  didn't  know." 

"Ah!  Then  you  didn't  teU  him?  Why  didn't 
you.'*  " 


A  RELIABLE  MAN  281 

It  was  difficult  to  reply,  but  there  was  something  in 
Bella's  voice  that  disarmed  Millicent's  resentment. 
Bella  had  grown  gentler  since  her  marriage  and  less 
often  indulged  in  bitterness. 

"  I  think,"  said  Milliccnt,  "  I  didn't  want  any  one 
to  distract  me;  I'm  going  to  make  photographs  and 
sketches  for  the  book,  3'ou  know." 

"  But  you  let  us  come  !  " 

"  Yes,"  assented  Milliccnt ;  *'  you're  different." 

"  That's  true.  We  won't  disturb  3'ou  ;  and  Nasmyth 
wouldn't  count.  He's  an  unobtrusive  person,  only  to 
the  front  when  he  is  wanted,  which  is  a  good  deal  to 
say  for  him ;  he  doesn't  expect  anything.  No  doubt, 
the  same  applies  to  Lisle." 

Milliccnt  made  no  answer  and  Bella  wondered 
whether  she  had  gone  too  far. 

"But  didn't  Clarence  hear  that  you  were  going?" 
she  asked. 

"  He  was  in  Switzerland  with  his  mother.  She  had 
been  recommended  to  try  a  change." 

Bella  asked  no  more  questions  and  Milliccnt  sat 
wondering  how  far  she  had  been  influenced  by  the 
reason  she  had  given  for  leaving  Clarence  behind. 
She  had  undoubtedly  desired  to  be  free  to  devote  her- 
self to  the  gathering  of  material  for  her  book,  but  that 
was  not  quite  all.  She  had  also  half-consciously 
shrunk  from  the  close  contact  with  Clarence  which 
would  have  been  one  result  of  their  life  in  camp,  but 
this  she  refused  to  admit.  It  was  clearer  that  she  de- 
sired an  extension  of  the  liberty  which  she  must  some- 
time relinquish.  Taking  it  all  round,  she  was  rather 
troubled  in  mind. 

There's  one  thing,"  remarked  Bella.     "  He  can't 


<( 


£82  THE  LONG  PORTAGE 

write  you  any  reproachful  letters  for  stealing  away. 
At  least,  if  lie  does  so,  you  won't  get  them." 

This,  as  Millicent  recognized,  was  a  relief,  but  Miss 
Plume  broke  in  upon  her  reflections  with  some  trifling 
request  and  soon  afterward  the  men  strolled  back  to- 
ward the  fire.  The  packers  had  already  gone  to  sleep ; 
the  dew  was  heavy,  but  Nasmyth  lay  down  on  the 
shingle  and  Carew  took  a  place  beside  his  wife's  chair. 
Suddenly  Millicent  leaned  forward  with  her  face  turned 
toward  the  lake. 

"  Listen !  "  she  cried  sharply.  "  Can't  you  hear 
something?  " 

No  sound  reached  the  others  for  a  moment ;  and  then 
Nasmyth  jumped  up. 

"  Yes,"  he  exclaimed ;  "  canoe  paddles." 

A  measured  beat  stole  out  of  the  silence,  increasing 
until  it  broke  sharply  through  the  tranquil  lapping  of 
the  water.  Then,  far  up  the  glittering  lake,  a  dim 
black  bar  crept  out  into  the  moonlight  and  by  de- 
grees grew  plainer. 

"  Of  course,  they  may  be  Indians,"  Bella  suggested 
mischievously. 

Carew  included  Millicent  in  his  answering  bow. 

"  No ;  I  believe  I'm  beaten.  You  and  Miss  Glad- 
wyne  were  right." 

The  moonlight  was  on  Millicent's  face,  and  Bella, 
watching  her,  read  something  that  roused  her  interest 
in  its  expression  —  it  was  stronger  tlian  satisfaction, 
a  deeper  feeling  not  unmixed  with  pride.  She  had 
called  and  the  man  she  had  summoned  from  the  depths 
of  the  wilderness  had  responded. 

A  few  minutes  later  the  canoe  grounded  noisily  on 
the  shingle  and  Crestwick  leaped  out;  Bella,  regardless 


/ 


A  RELIABLE  MAN  283 

of  the  others,  flung  her  arms  about  his  neck  and  kissed 
him ;  and  then  slie  held  him  off  so  that  she  might  see 
him.  His  garments  were  rent  and  tattered,  his  face 
was  very  lean,  and  one  of  his  hands  was  bleeding  from 
continuous  labor  with  the  paddle. 

"  Oh  !  "  she  cried  ;  "  you  disreputable  scarecrow  ! 
You're  not  fit  for  select  society.  And  how  long  is  it 
since  3'ou  had  anything  to  eat.''  '* 

"  We  had  a  rather  rough  time  getting  through  ;  there 
was  thick  scrub  timber  in  some  of  the  valleys,"  Crest- 
wick  explained.  "  We  might  have  made  things  easier 
by  spending  another  few  days  on  the  trail,  but  Lisle 
wouldn't  listen  when  I  suggested  it." 

"  Then  you  did  suggest  it,"  said  Bella  reproach- 
fully.    "  Of  course,  I'm  merely  your  sister." 

"  I  don't  want  a  better  one,"  Crestwick  rejoined, 
grinning.  "  It  strikes  me  you're  looking  prettier  than 
you  did;  but  that's  perhaps  because  you  have  taken  to 
wearing  more  lad^'like  clothes.  As  regards  my  ap- 
pearance, I'll  venture  to  say  that  yours  will  be  very 
much  the  same  before  you've  finished  this  journey." 

Lisle  had  walked  toward  Miss  Hume  and  had  shaken 
hands  with  her  before  he  turned  to  Millicent.  That 
pleased  the  girl, 

"  We  ran  it  rather  close,  but  the  day  isn't  quite 
finished  yet,"  he  laughed.  "  We  had  some  little 
trouble  once  or  twice  which  prevented  our  turning  up 
earlier." 

Millicent  smiled  in  a  manner  that  sent  a  thrill 
through  him. 

"  I  can  only  say  that  we  kept  your  supper ;  but 
that's  significant,  isn't  it.'' "  Then  she  called  to 
Nasmyth. 


^84  THE  LONG  PORTAGE 

"  Will  you  see  if  the  cook's  awake  ?  " 
She  had  no  opportunity  for  saying  anything  further, 
for  Carew  came  up  Avith  Bella,  who  was  voluble,  and 
some  time  later  Lisle  and  Crestwick  sat  down  to  a 
bountiful  meal,  while  IMillicent  and  Bella  waited  on 
them.  Lisle  was  slightly  embarrassed  by  their  minis- 
trations, but  Crestwick  openly  enjoyed  them. 

"  Put  the  plate  where  I  can  reach  it  easily,"  he  bade 
his  sister.  "  Look  how  you  have  placed  that  cup ;  if 
I  move,  it  will  spill  1 " 

"  You  have  more  courage  than  I  have,  Jim,"  Carew 
remarked  with  a  smile. 

"  Pve  needed  it,"  the  lad  declared.  "  Fve  borne 
enough  from  Bella  in  my  time.  She'll  no  doubt  say 
that  I  desei-ved  it,  and  there  may  be  some  ground  for 
the  notion." 

When  the  meal  was  finished  they  all  gathered  round 
the  replenished  fire.  Lisle  lying  back  in  the  shadow 
because  of  the  state  of  his  clothes.  With  the  exception 
of  Jim,  the  others  were  dressed  much  as  they  had 
been  at  home ;  their  conversation  was  light  and  easy, 
and  their  manner  tranquil.  If  he  could  have  blotted 
out  the  background  of  tall  straight  trunks  and 
shadowy  rocks,  he  could  have  imagined  that  they  were 
lounging  on  a  sheltered  English  lawn.  Double-skinned 
tents,  camp-chairs,  and  other  signs  of  a  regard  for 
physical  comfort  bore  out  the  idea  in  his  mind. 
These  English  people  with  their  quiet  confidence  that 
what  they  needed  —  and  that  was  a  good  deal  —  would, 
as  had  always  happened,  somehow  be  supplied,  were  at 
once  exasperating  and  admirable.  They  were  the 
same  everywhere,  unmoved  by  change,  claiming  all  that 
was  choicest  as  by  right,  and  very  much  at  ease  on 


A  RELIABLE  MAN  285 

the  fringe  of  the  wilderness.  They  did  not  belong  to 
it ;  one  could  have  inuigincd  that  it  belonged  to  them. 
Their  journey,  however,  had  only  begun,  and  there 
were  alterations  that  must  obviously  be  made  on  the 
morrow. 

Then  Lisle  yielded  to  a  strong  sense  of  satisfaction. 
For  the  next  month  or  two  he  would  be  almost  con- 
stantly in  Milllcent's  company ;  her  companions  were 
his  friends,  and  he  thought  that  he  would  not  be 
troubled  by  Gladwyne's  presence.  Desiring  to  assure 
himself  on  the  latter  point,  he  turned  to  Bella. 

"  Nobody  has  mentioned  Clarence.  I  was  wonder- 
ing if  he  would  join  us?  " 

"  No,"  she  answered,  smiling  at  him  meaningly ; 
*'  he  wasn't  invited."  Then  she  moved  away,  leaving 
Lisle  more  deeply  content. 

Presently  the  party  broke  up,  and  when  they  reached 
the  tent  they  jointly  occupied,  Miss  Hume  remarked 
to  Millicent: 

"  You  look  unusually  pleased,  mj"  dear." 

"  I  dare  say  I  do,"  Millicent  smiled.  "  It's  some- 
thing to  feel  that  one's  confidence  has  been  justified, 
and  perhaps  rather  more  to  rest  assured  that  every- 
thing will  now  go  as  smoothly  as  possible." 

"  I  suppose  you  mean  since  Mr.  Lisle  has  come.'' 
Apart  from  his  practical  abilities,  I'm  fond  of  that 
man.  No  doubt  3'ou  noticed  that  he  came  first  to  me, 
as  the  eldest,  though  he  is  aware  that  I'm  only  a  de- 
pendent. In  a  way,  of  course,  he  wasn't  altogether 
right,  Bella  Carew  being  married  and  3'ou  the  actual 
hostess." 

"  I  wonder  if  such  points  are  of  any  importance  in 
the  bush,"  Millicent  answered,  laughing.     "  But  I'm 


286  THE  LONG  PORTAGE 

glad  Mr.   LIsle's   action  won   your  good   opinion.     I 
like  my  friends  to  be  graceful." 

Miss  Hume,  faded,  gray-haired  and  formal,  looked 
reflective. 

"  The  word  you  used  is  not  quite  the  one  I  should 
have  chosen.  Clarence  Gladwyne  is  graceful ;  I  think 
this  Canadian  is  something  better.  To-night  he  was 
actuated  by  genuine  chivalry.  My  esteem  may  not  be 
worth  much,  but  it  is  his." 

Moved  by  some  impulse,  Milllcent  kissed  her. 

"  I've  no   doubt  he'd   value   it.     But   I  can't  have         '  ^ 
Clarence  depreciated ;  and  it's  getting  very  late." 

Miss  Hume  noticed  a  slight  change  in  the  girl's 
voice  as  she  mentioned  Gladwyne.  She  put  out  the 
lamp  but  it  was  some  time  before  she  went  to  sleep. 
She  loved  MilHcent,  and  she  believed  there  was  trouble 
awaiting  her. 


CHAPTER  XXVI 

LISLE    TURXS    AUTOCRAT 

ON  the  morning  after  his  arrival,  Lisle  called 
the  company  together  and  first  of  all  ad- 
dressed Millicent. 

"  It's  your  wish  that  I  should  act  as  guide  to  this 
expedition  ?  " 

Millicent  answered  in  the  affirmative  and  he  went  ont 

"  The  guide  must  be  commander-in-chief,  with  un- 
disputed authority.  Before  we  start,  I  must  ask  if 
any  one  objects  to  that?  " 

They  gave  him  full  power,  with  acclamation,  and 
he  nodded. 

"  Well,"  he  continued,  "  I'd  better  explain  that  the 
main  difficulty  attending  any  expedition  into  an  al- 
most uninhabited  region  is  to  keep  it  supplied  with  food 
and  means  of  shelter;  it's  a  question  of  transport. 
There  are  two  ways  of  getting  over  the  difficulty  — 
by  reducing  the  weight,  or  by  increasing  the  number 
of  packers :  and  the  latter  are  useful  only  when  each 
man  can  transport  more  than  will  satisfy  his  personal 
requirements.     I  think  that's  clear?  " 

They  assented  with  some  curiosity  mixed  with  a 
slight  uneasiness. 

"  Then,"  he  proceeded,  "  I'll  exercise  my  authority 
by  asking  you  to  lay  out  in  front  of  each  tent  every- 
thing you  have  brought  with  you." 

*'  Including  our  clothes?  "  Bella  asked. 

287 


288  THE  LONG  PORTAGE 


a 


Assuredly,"  said  Crestwick.  "  You  can  put  them 
in  a  heap ;  it's  the  quantity  and  not  the  cut  that 
counts." 

It  was  evident  that  the  leader's  first  instructions 
were  received  with  little  favor.  Millicent  looked  du- 
bious and  Miss  Hume  alarmed ;  but  the  orders  were 
can'ied  out,  and  Lisle  accompanied  by  Crestwick  made 
a  tour  of  inspection.  Stopping  in  front  of  Bella's 
and  Carew's  tent,  he  pointed  to  their  rather  imposing 
pile  of  baggage. 

"  Two-thirds  of  this  will  have  to  be  left  behind, 
though  we'll  try  to  pick  it  up  again.  You  can  make 
your  selection."  He  went  on  to  Millicent's  and  Miss 
Hume's  collection.  "  We  can't  take  more  than  half 
of  this,"  he  informed  them.  Then  he  addressed  the 
company  in  general.  "  The  three  ladies  must  occupy 
Miss  Gladwyne's  tent,  and  the  men  Carew's ;  Nasmyth's 
must  be  abandoned.  Each  man's  outfit  must  be  cut 
down  to  one  change  of  clothes  and  his  blanket." 

The  announcement  was  received  with  open  murmurs. 
They  had  all  been  accustomed  to  every  comfort  with 
which  a  high  civilization  could  provide  them ;  they  had 
already  cut  down  their  belongings  to  the  lowest  limit 
at  which,  in  their  estimation,  life  could  be  made  en- 
durable ;  and  many  of  the  articles  they  were  told  must 
be  left  behind  were  costly  and  artistic.  It  was  a 
severe  test  of  obedience  and  even  Nasmyth,  who  knew 
the  wilderness,  desiring  to  safeguard  the  women,  was 
not  inclined  to  yield.  Lisle  had  only  Crestwick  to  sup- 
port him  until  Bella  touched  his  arm. 

"  Stand  fast,"  she  urged,  somewhat  to  his  surprise. 
*'  If  you  give  way  an  inch  now,  you'll  be  sorry." 

Lisle  smiled  and  then  raised  his  voice. 


LISLE  TURNS  AUTOCRAT  289 

"  I'm  afraid  I  must  insist.  Since  you  object,  Carew, 
are  you  willing  to  carry  forty  pounds  upon  your  back 
while  you  break  a  trail  through  thick  timber,  where  we 
find  it  needful  to  leave  the  water?  " 

"  Certainly  not,"  said  Carew  decidedly. 

"  Then,"  Lisle  advised  dryl}',  "  you  had  better  leave 
as  much  as  possible  of  the  weight  behind ;  there's  no 
likelihood  of  our  getting  more  packers.  You  have  to 
choose  between  a  camp-chair  or  a  suitcase,  for  example, 
and  your  daily  dinner." 

For  a  moment  or  two  they  hesitated.  Lisle  had, 
straining  his  new  authority  to  the  utmost,  asked  them 
a  very  hard  thing,  for  in  their  regard  some  degree  of 
luxur}^  was  less  an  accidental  favor  than  a  prescriptive 
right.  Then  Bella  took  up  a  long  garment  and  with  a 
little  resolute  gesture  flung  it  from  her. 

"  That,"  she  laughed,  "  is  the  first  sacrifice  to  the 
stem  guardians  of  the  wilds.  It  ought  to  satisfy 
them,  considering  who  made  it  and  what  it  cost." 
She  seized  a  small  valise  and  hurled  it  after  the  dress. 
*'  There's  the  next ;  I'm  thankful  my  complexion  will 
stand  the  weather." 

Millicent  looked  up  at  Lisle,  indicating  a  small  easel, 
a  bulky  sketch-book,  and  a  box  of  water-colors. 

"  Are  these  to  go  ?  "  she  asked  with  indignant  eyes. 

"  No,"  he  answered  gravely ;  "  they're  the  reason 
for  the  whole  expedition,  and  their  transport  is  pro- 
vided for.      But  jou'll  have  to  jettison  something  else." 

The  selections  were  made  and  Lisle  summoned  one  of 
the  packers. 

"  Roll  these  things  up  in  Mr.  Nasmyth's  tent, 
Pete,"  he  bade  him.  "  You'll  have  to  make  a  cache 
of  them." 


290  THE  LONG  PORTAGE 

"  Like  burying  money,  isn't  it?  "  remarked  the  man, 
regarding  the  pile  of  sundries  with  a  grin.  "  Guess 
they  won't  be  worth  much  when  they're  dug  up  again." 

Half  an  hour  later,  three  deepl3^-laden  canoes  left 
the  beach ;  and  all  day  the  party  paddled  up  the  gleam- 
ing lake  and  crept  with  poles  going  up  a  slow,  green 
river.  Sunset  was  near  when  they  landed  and  ate 
supper  among  a  clump  of  cedars ;  and  after  the  meal 
most  of  them,  cramped  with  the  canoe  journey, 
climbed  the  steep  hill-bench  or  strolled  away  along  the 
shingle.  Lisle  was  lying,  smoking,  beside  the  fire  when 
Millicent  sauntered  toward  him  and  sat  down  upon  a 
neighboring  stone. 

"  You  were  right,  of  course,"  she  apologized.  "  Am 
I  forgiven?     It  was  only  a  momentary  revolt." 

He  smiled,  though  his  bronzed  coloring  deepened, 
for  there  was  an  unusual  gentleness  in  her  voice. 

"  It  was  very  natural,"  he  replied.  "  I  had  ex- 
pected more  determined  opposition ;  but  I  didn't  go 
farther  than  was  necessary." 

"  No ;  I  think  the  others  realize  that  now." 

"  They'll  be  more  convinced  of  it  later,"  he  re- 
sponded with  a  trace  of  grimness. 

"  I  don't  think  they'll  give  you  any  trouble ;  but 
since  you  got  rid  of  Nasmyth's  tent,  where  will  you 
and  Crestwick  sleep?  " 

"  Jim  and  I  can  make  a  shelter  of  some  kind ;  we're 
used  to  the  bush." 

"  What  have  you  done  to  the  lad?  "  Millicent  asked. 
"  I  can  hardly  realize  the  change  in  him ;  he's  a  dif- 
ferent being." 

"  I've  merely  given  him  a  chance  he  would  hardly 
have  had  in  England.     The  country  has  done  the  rest. 


LISLE  TURNS  AUTOCRAT  291 

You  can  ask  him  how  much  advice  or  admonishment 
he  got." 

"  Oh,"  she  explained,  "  I  shouldn't  expect  you  to 
give  him  advice ;  it's  cheap  !  " 

lie  made  no  reply,  and  her  eyes  rested  with  quiet 
approval  on  his  rather  embarrassed  face.  She  had  no 
doubt  that  close  contact  with  this  man  had  had  more 
to  do  with  the  change  in  Crestwick  than  the  influence 
of  the  country ;  and  then  she  recollected  that  the  lad's 
degeneration  had  been  marked  and  rapid  while  he  had 
taken  Clarence  for  a  model.  It  was  a  troublesome 
thought  and  she  banished  it  with  an  effort. 

"  You  didn't  get  here  without  difficult}' ;  and  our 
journey  will  keep  you  away  from  your  business  for 
some  time,"  she  observed. 

"  As  to  that,  I've  earned  a  little  leisure ;  and  I've 
been  looking  forward  to  this  trip  ever  since  I  left  Eng- 
land. Now  it's  almost  like  being  back  there  again, 
only  that  in  some  ways  it's  even  better." 

So  far  as  their  surroundings  might  explain  his  satis- 
faction, Millicent  could  frankly  agree  with  him.  The 
black  spires  of  the  cedars,  towering  far* above  them,  cut 
in  rigid  tracery  against  the  splendors  of  the  sunset 
sky ;  one  stretch  of  the  river  still  shone  with  a  saffron 
light;  the  rest,  which  had  grown  dim,  flowed  through 
deepening  shadow.  Filmy  mist  trails  streaked  the 
rugged  hills  and  the  hoarse  clamor  of  a  rapid  quivered 
in  the  cool  air.  Behind  it  all,  there  was  something  that 
set  the  lonely  scene  apart  from  any  other  that  the  girl 
had  looked  upon  —  one  could  realize  that  this  was  as 
yet  an  untamed  and  unsullied  region.  But  her  compan- 
ion was  accustomed  to  the  wilderness,  so  there  must  be, 
she  thought,  another  cause  for  his  content. 


292  THE  LONG  PORTAGE 


a 


I  am  glad  you  do  not  grudge  the  time  you  may 
have  to  spend  with  us,"  she  said. 

*'  Grudge  it ! "  he  exclaimed ;  and  then,  restraining 
himself,  he  broke  into  a  soft  laugh.  "  You  may  ac- 
cuse me  of  that  feeling  when  you  hear  me  grumble." 

The  ring  in  his  voice  had  its  meaning  and  it  left 
her  thoughtful.  The  revelation  was  not  altogether 
new;  she  had  guessed  his  regard  for  her,  but  she  im- 
agined that  she  ccyuld  hold  him  at  arm's  length  if  it 
were  necessary.  It  was  with  him  as  it  was  with 
Nasmyth,  and  they  were  alike  in  their  self-restraint. 
Nasmyth  had  quietly  accepted  his  dismissal  when  she 
had  shown  him  that  it  was  irrevocable ;  and  the  Cana- 
dian would  not  trouble  her  with  futile  complaints. 
She  wondered  if  out  of  three  suitors  she  had  not  chosen 
the  least  desirable  in  some  respects ;  but  this  could 
not  be  admitted  and  she  resolutely  thrust  the  idea 
aside. 

"  There's  a  point  I'd  better  mention,"  Lisle  resumed 
in  a  matter-of-fact  tone.  "  I'm  not  going  to  follow 
the  route  of  the  first  expedition  from  the  beginning. 
I'\e  thought  of  a  shorter  and  easier  one ;  we'll  strike 
the  other  by  the  big  portage  and  then  follow  it  down." 

"  Are  you  afraid  of  wearing  out  your  untried  fol- 
lowers? " 

"  Well,"  he  admitted,  ''  J'm  taking  no  risks  that  can 
be  avoided  this  journey." 

She  smilingly  commended  his  caution,  though  she 
was  conscious  of  a  desire,  which  must  be  held  in  check, 
to  see  what  he  would  do  if  he  could  be  shaken  out  of 
his  self-control.  She  approved  of  his  restraint,  be- 
cause only  while  it  was  exerted  could  she  meet  him 
on  friendly  terms ;  but,  as  had  happened  on  his  last 


LISLE  TURNS  AUTOCRAT  293 

afternoon  in  England,  it  piqued  her.      She  wondered 
how  much  it  cost  him. 

"  After  all,"  she  said  with  a  forced  laugh,  "  it's 
better  to  keep  carefully  clear  of  danger." 

"  Yes,"  he  agreed ;  "  but  there's  now  and  then  a 
temptation  to  face  the  hazard.  One  feels  that  it's 
worth  while." 

"  Never  mind  that.  I  think  I'd  rather  enjoy  the 
wildness  of  this  scene  than  to  philosophize.  Tell  me 
about  the  bear  and  deer  we  are  likely  to  come  across." 

He  discoursed  at  length,  and  she  sat  listening  while 
the  light  faded  and  the  cedars  grew  blacker.  Then  the 
others  approached  and  they  went  back  to  camp. 

"  Breakfast  will  be  at  seven  prompt,"  he  informed 
them.  "  The  packers  will  strike  tents  while  you  eat, 
so  have  everything  ready.  There  are  two  awkward 
portages  to  be  tackled  to-morrow." 

They  started  in  a  clammy  mist  which  clung  about 
them  until  they  reached  the  foot  of  the  first  wild  rapid, 
where  the  green  and  white  flood  came  roaring  over 
ledges  and  between  huge  boulders,  with  wisps  of  spray 
tossing  over  it.  This  was  jNIillicent's  first  sight  of  the 
river  in  anger,  and  she  watched,  at  first  almost  ap- 
palled and  then  thrilled  with  strong  excitement,  when 
Lisle  and  one  packer  took  the  leading  canoe  up  the 
lowest  rush.  They  stood  upright  in  the  unloaded, 
unstable  craft,  long  pole  in  hand,  guiding  her  with 
what  seemed  wonderful  skill  across  madly-whirling  ed- 
dies and  through  tumbling  foam,  while  Nasmyth  and 
another  man,  floundering  deep  in  water,  assisted  them 
at  intervals  with  the  tracking-line.  Once  Nasmyth's 
companion  lost  his  footing  and  disappeared,  but  he 
rose  and  Millicent  saw  that  instead  of  cHnging  to  the 


294.  THE  LONG  PORTAGE 

line  for  safety  he  loosed  it,  and  swimming  down  a  wild 
white  tumult,  came  dripping  ashore.  This,  she 
thought,  was  bracing  work  that  made  for  more  than 
physical  vigor;  but  she  could  not  imagine  Clarence 
indulging  in  it.  It  was  too  elemental,  too  barbarous 
for  him.  He  was  fond  of  exertion  in  the  form  of 
sport,  but  he  required  somebody  to  saddle  and  lead  out 
his  horse  and  to  load  his  second  gun.  There  was  a 
difference  between  him  and  those  wlio  delighted  to 
grapple  at  first  hand  with  nature. 

She  was  astonished  to  see  Crestwick  get  a  heavy 
flour  bag  upon  his  back  and  move  away  with  it  over 
very  rough  stones,  and  she  joined  in  Bella's  laugh 
when  Carew  attempted  to  shoulder  another  and 
dropped  it. 

"  It's  the  first  time  he's  ever  tried  such  a  thing  in 
his  life,"  Bella  remarked.  "  There's  nothing  like  per- 
sonal experience.  You  don't  realize  that  it  isn't  easy 
when  you  give  a  porter  sixpence  to  lift  your  biggest 
trunk  at  a  station." 

"  The  difference  is  that  the  porter's  used  to  it," 
Carew,  who  was  red-faced  and  breathless,  pointed  out. 

"  It  looks  as  if  that  would  apply  to  you  before  we've 
finished,"  Bella  retorted.  "  If  you  can't  do  anything 
else,  why  don't  you  help  those  men  in  the  river.''  " 

Carew  made  a  gesture  of  resignation  and  resolutely 
plunged  in. 

"  That,"  laughed  Bella,  to  Milllcent  and  Miss 
Hume,  "  is  excellent  discipline ;  after  a  little  of  it,  I 
believe  he'll  do  me  credit.  I  can  think  of  a  few  over- 
fed men  that  I'd  like  to  put  through  a  drastic  course 
of  it,  only  in  their  case  I'd  go  in  the  canoe  and  take 
my  heaviest  luggage  with  me." 


i 


LISLE  TURNS  AUTOCRAT  295 

"  It  wouldn't  be  wise,"  asserted  Millicent.  "  When 
they  reached  broken  water  they'd  probably  let  you 
go." 

Slie  collected  an  armful  of  odds  and  ends  and  set 
off  up-stream  over  the  portage.  The  men  spent  sev- 
eral hours  bringing  the  canoes  and  stores  across,  and 
there  followed  some  laborious  poling  before  they 
reached  the  second  rapid,  which  was  safely  passed. 
The  party  was  quieter  than  usual  after  supper  that 
night.  They  had  had  their  first  glimpse  of  the  strenu- 
ous life  of  the  wilderness  and  it  had  impressed  them. 
The  effect  passed  off,  however,  as  they  pushed  on  day 
after  day  without  mishap.  ]Millicent,  in  particular, 
delighted  in  all  she  saw  —  the  fresh  green  of  the 
birches  among  the  somber  cedars,  the  lonely  heights 
that  ever  surrounded  them,  the  gleaming  lakes,  the 
broad  green  flood  that  here  and  there  filled  the  gorges 
with  its  thunder. 

She  suffered  no  discomfort  she  could  not  laugh  at; 
there  was  something  that  braced  her  in  mind  and  body 
in  the  mountain  air;  and  Clarence  no  longer  held  a 
leading  place  in  her  memory.  She  realized  now  that 
the  thought  of  him  had  hitherto  occasioned  her  a  vague 
uneasiness.  Indeed,  she  was  almost  glad  that  he  was 
far  away ;  liberty  was  unexpectedly  sweet,  and  though 
she  had  a  few  misgivings,  she  meant  to  enjoy  it  while 
it  lasted. 

Then  one  afternoon  when  they  were  stopped  by  a 
fall,  she  slipped  away  from  the  others  with  her  sketch- 
book, and  wandering  back  through  straggling  bush, 
climbed  a  rock}'  ridge.  The  ascent  was  steep,  but  by 
clambering  up  a  gully  she  reached  the  summit,  and 
after   strolling   along  it   she  sat   down   to   sketch   the 


296  THE  LONG  PORTAGE 

gorge  below.  The  work  absorbed  her  attention  and 
some  time  had  passed  when  the  lengthening  shadows 
warned  her  that  she  would  better  retrace  her  steps  to 
camp. 

It  proved  difficult.  She  could  not  find  the  gully 
she  had  climbed  up  and  the  side  of  the  ridge  was  al- 
most precipitous  and  was  clothed  with  brushwood. 
At  last,  however,  she  reached  a  spot  from  which  it 
seemed  possible  to  make  the  descent ;  but  after  scram- 
bling and  sliding  for  some  distance  she  was  suddenly 
stopped  by  a  sheer  drop  of  several  yards  to  a  ledge. 
Being  agile,  she  might  have  reached  the  ledge  by 
lowering  herself  by  her  hands,  but  it  was  narrow  and 
slanted  outwards,  so  that  she  feared  to  slip  off  in 
alighting  and  fall  over  the  crag  below.  She  attempted 
to  climb  back  to  the  summit  and  found  it  impossible, 
for  the  stones  she  seized  were  loose  and  came  away 
when  she  disturbed  them.  She  could  only  stay  where 
she  was  and  call  for  assistance,  though  the  clamor  of 
the  fall,  ringing  up  the  valley,  almost  drowned  her 
voice. 

By  and  by  the  sunlight  faded  off  the  rocks  above, 
the  trees  below  grew  shadowy,  and  Millicent  began  to 
feel  anxious  and  to  envy  the  others  who  would,  no 
doubt,  be  sitting  down  to  their  evening  meal.  They 
would  miss  her  and  set  out  in  search ;  but  they  might 
not  reach  her  until  it  was  dark,  when  it  would  be  dif- 
ficult to  extricate  her,  and  she  had  no  desire  to  spend 
the  night  among  the  rocks.  She  made  another  de- 
termined attempt  to  get  up,  but  slid  back,  nearly 
slipping  over  the  edge,  while  her  sketch-book  went 
clattering  far  below.  Then  she  sat  still,  calling  out 
at  intervals. 


LISLE  TURNS  AUTOCRAT  297 

The  light  grew  dimmer,  white  mists  began  to  trail 
about  the  heights  aijove,  and  ^lillicent  was  getting 
cold.  She  was  also  getting  angry  —  it  looked  as  if 
the  others  were  too  busy  eating  or  talking  to  care 
what  had  become  of  her;  some  of  them  ought  to  have 
come  in  search.  She  felt  a  grievance  against  Lisle  in 
particular.  Why  she  should  blame  him  more  than 
Nasmyth  or  Carew  was  not  very  clear,  except  that  he 
was  more  used  to  the  country ;  but  she  felt  that  he 
ought  to  have  come  to  her  rescue.  Then,  fearing 
that  she  would  have  to  spend  the  night  on  the  hillside, 
she  carefully  crept  toward  a  small  level  space  near  a 
jutting  rock  and  sat  down,  shivering,  while  dusk  slowly 
crept  across  the  bush. 


CHAPTER  XXVn 

AN    UNPLEASANT    SURPRISE 

MILLICENT  had  no  intention  of  going  to  sleep 
among  the  rocks,  but  after  a  while  she  grew 
drowsy,  and  when  at  length  she  raised  her  head 
with  a  start  the  moon  hung  over  the  hills  across  the 
river,  flooding  the  heights  above  her  with  a  silvery 
light.  The  trees  below  were  sharper  in  form,  but 
everything  was  very  still ;  only  the  thunder  of  the  fall 
seemed  to  have  increased  in  depth  of  tone.  Millicent 
shivered  from  the  cold  as  she  sent  a  sharp  cry  ringing 
across  the  woods. 

This  time  it  was  answered,  and  she  recognized  the 
voice.  Looking  down,  she  could  see  Lisle's  black  fig- 
ure moving  cautiously  along  the  ledge,  for  although 
the  lower  rocks  were  wrapped  in  shadow  it  is  never  al- 
together dark  in  the  northern  summer.  Coming  out 
into  the  moonlight,  he  examined  the  slab  of  rock  which 
had  arrested  her  descent,  but  when  he  spoke  she  was 
not  quite  pleased  with  his  very  matter-of-fact  tone. 
It  left  something  to  be  desired  —  she  thought  he 
might  have  displayed  more  satisfaction  at  finding  her 
safe. 

"  Is  there  anything  you  could  catch  hold  of  at  the 
top?  "  he  asked.  "  If  so,  you'd  better  lower  yourself 
until  I  can  reach  you." 

Anxious  as  she  was  to  get  down,  Millicent  hesitated ; 

298 


AN  UNPLEASANT  SURPRISE  299 

if  she  did  as  he  suggested  slie  would  descend  into  his 
arms.  She  was  not  unduly  prudish,  and  indeed,  after 
being  left  alone  in  the  impressive  solitude  of  the  wilds, 
she  would  have  been  glad  of  the  reassuring  grasp  of 
a  human  being.  But  an  obscure  feeling,  springing, 
perhaps,  from  primitive  instincts,  made  her  shrink 
from  close  contact  with  this  particular  man. 

"  No,"  she  answered  coldly ;  "  the  rock  is  loose.  Be- 
sides, the  ledge  is  narrow,  and  if  I  came  down  heavily, 
we  might  both  fall  over." 

He  again  examined  the  slabj  and  then  stood  still, 
considering. 

"  Well,"  he  decided,  "  there's  a  crack  some  way  up 
that  should  give  me  a  hold,  and  a  bit  of  a  projection 
you  could  rest  a  foot  on  yonder.  Then  if  you  gave 
me  one  hand,  I  could  lower  you  down." 

He  came  up,  thrusting  his  fingers  into  a  fissure  near 
the  summit  and  finding  a  tiny  support  for  his  toes. 
Lowering  herself  cautiously,  she  clutched  the  hand  he 
extended. 

"  Now,"  he  cautioned,  "  as  gently  as  possible !  " 

Loosing  her  hold  above,  she  hung  for  a  moment  or 
two,  half  afraid  to  let  go  his  hand,  while  his  arm  and 
body  grew  tense  with  the  strain  and  she  could  hear  his 
labored  breath.  Summoning  her  courage  she  relaxed 
her  grasp.  In  another  second  she  was  safe  upon  the 
ledge,  and,  scrambling  down,  he  stood  beside  her  with 
a  set,  flushed  face,  the  veins  protruding  on  his  fore- 
head. 

"  I'm  glad  that's  over ;  I  was  badly  scared,"  he  ac- 
knowledged. 

She  thrilled  at  the  confession,  though  she  thought 
there  had  been  no   serious   risk ;  his   concern   for  her 


300  THE  LONG  PORTAGE 

safety  was  strangely  pleasant  and  the  strenuous  grasp 
of  his  fingers  had  stirred  her. 

"  Oh,"  she  replied,  *'  I  believe  I  was  quite  safe  after 
you  got  hold  of  me." 

He  glanced  at  the  steep  face  of  broken  rock  that 
ran  down  into  the  shadow. 

"  If  we'd  gone  over,  we  might  not  have  brought  up 
for  a  while,"  he  said.  "  But  what's  that  resting  on 
yonder  jutting  stone .^^  " 

"  I'm  sorry  it's  my  sketch-book,"  Millicent  answered 
unguardedly.     "  It's  nearly  filled." 

"  Then  wait  here  a  little." 

"  You  can't  get  it ! "  Millicent  cried  sharply. 
"  You  mustn't  try !  " 

"  It's  quite  easy." 

Millicent  could  not  resist  the  temptation  to  make  a 
rather  dangerous  experiment. 

"  And  yet  you  were  afraid  a  minute  or  two 
ago ! " 

"  Yes,"  he  answered,  looking  at  her  steadil3^  "  But 
that  was  different." 

She  felt  her  heart-beats  quicken  and  her  face  grow 
hot,  but  she  laid  a  restraining  hand  on  his  arm. 
I  won't  let  you  go." 

You  must  be  reasonable,"  he  urged,  moving  a  pace 
away.  "  That  book  stands  for  a  good  deal  of  high- 
grade  work.  If  you  lose  it,  you  will  have  wasted  all 
the  first  part  of  your  journey.  Besides,  I  should  feel 
very  mean  if  I  left  it  lying  there." 

He  lowered  himself  over  the  edge,  and  moving  from 
cranny  to  cranny  and  stone  to  stone,  went  cautiously 
down,  while  she  watched  him  with  her  hands  closed 
tight.     What  the  actual  peril  was  she  could  not  esti- 


AN  UNPLEASANT  SURPRISE  301 

mate;  but  it  looked  appallingly  dangerous,  particu- 
larly when  in  one  place  he  had  to  descend  from  a 
slightly  overhanging  stone.  He  reached  the  book, 
however,  and  came  up,  and  when  at  length  he  stood 
beside  her  his  expression  was  quite  nonnal  and  he  was 
only  a  little  breathless.  Again  she  felt  a  disconcerting 
thrill  which  was  accompanied  by  a  confused  sense  of 
pride.  What  he  had  done  was  in  her  service,  and  this 
time  he  had  shown  no  sign  of  fear  or  strain. 

"  Thank  you,"  she  said.  "  But  I'm  a  little  angry 
—  you  shouldn't  have  gone.  I  should  never  have  for- 
given myself  if  you  had  got  hurt." 

There  was  light  enough  to  show  that  the  blood  crept 
into  his  face ;  but  he  turned  and  glanced  at  the  descend- 
ing ledge. 

"  You  had  better  put  your  hand  on  my  shoulder 
where  it's  steep,"  he  suggested.  "  Still,  we're  not  go- 
ing to  have  much  trouble  in  getting  down." 

They  had  reached  level  ground  before  anything 
more  was  said,  and  then  she  turned  to  him  with  a 
smile. 

"  Why  didn't  you  come  before.''  You  left  me  an 
unpleasantly  long  while  among  the  rocks." 

"  We  didn't  miss  you  until  supper,"  he  explained. 
"  Then  I  set  off  at  once,  but  I  didn't  know  which  way 
to  look  and  the  bush  was  pretty  thick."  Stopping  in 
the  moonlight,  he  indicated  his  rent  attire.  "  I  think 
this  speaks  for  itself,"  he  added  humorously. 
"  There's  one  consolation  —  the  things  belong  to 
Carew." 

Millicent  was  glad  that  he  was  not  going  to  be 
serious. 

"  I  remember  that  you  didn't  bring  much  of  an  out- 


S02  THE  LONG  PORTAGE 

fit,"   slie   replied.      "  I  suppose  you  had   one.     What 
became  of  it.''  " 

*'  I  left  it  behind,  in  pieces,  on  the  thorns  and  rocks 
along  a  good  many  leagues  of  trail;  but  it  wasn't  ex- 
tensive —  when  you  travel  in  this  country  you  have 
often  to  choose  between  food  and  clothes.  It  was  ob- 
viously impossible  to  bu}^  any  more,  but  the  day  before 
we  reached  camp  I  made  Crestwick  cut  my  hair.  After 
a  look  at  myself  in  Nasmyth's  pocket-glass,  I'm  in- 
clined to  think  he  was  unwarrantably  proud  of  his  suc- 
cess." 

After  that  they  chatted  lightly,  until  they  walked 
into  the  glow  of  the  camp-fire,  and  while  Bella  and 
Miss  Hume  plied  Millicent  with  questions  and  con- 
gratulations. Lisle  took  up  Nasmyth's  repeating  rifle 
and  fired  it  several  times. 

That    will    bring    the    boys    in,"    he    explained. 
Now  I'll  get  Miss  Gladwyne's  supper." 

During  the  meal  the  others  came  back  and  when  they 
had  all  assembled,  looking  the  worse  for  their  scramble 
through  the  bush,  Crestwick,  who  had  occasional  lapses 
from  good  behavior,  addressed  them  collectively. 

"  Wasn't  I  right.?  "  he  asked.  "  I  off^ered  anybody 
three  to  one  that  Lisle  would  be  the  first  to  find  her." 

"  Then  you  ought  to  be  ashamed  of  it,  after  the 
expensive  way  in  which  your  confidence  in  your  opin- 
ions has  often  been  shown  to  be  mistaken,"  declared 
Bella.  "  Besides,  you  promised  me  you  wouldn't 
waste  3'our  money  that  way  again  !  " 

"  This  time  I  was  backing  a  moral  certainty," 
Crestwick  rejoined.  "That  isn't  gambling;  if  you're 
not  convinced,  you  can  ask  the  others  on  what  grounds 
they  were  so  unwilling  to  take  me. 


SI 


jj 


AN  UNPLEASANT  SURrillSE  303 

Receiving  no  encouragement,  he  addressed  Millicent, 
who  was  extremely  vexed  with  him. 

"  I  suppose  you  know  that  you  have  given  us  all 
a  good  deal  of  anxiety.  You  ought  to  feel  con- 
trite." 

"  I'm  not  sorry  if  I've  given  j'ou  a  good  deal  of 
trouble,"  Millicent  retorted.  "  You  were  a  long  time 
in  coming  to  my  rescue." 

"  That,"  he  exclaimed,  "  is  just  the  kind  of  thing 
Bella  used  to  delight  in  saying,  though  I'll  own  that 
she's  been  much  more  civil  lately.  It's  possible  that 
Carew's  patience  is  not  so  long  as  mine." 

"  Aren't  you  getting  rather  personal? "  Carew 
hinted. 

Crcstwick  subsided  with  an  indulgent  grimace,  but 
when  they  retired  to  their  shelter  Lisle  turned  upon 
him. 

"  It  struck  me  that  those  jokes  of  yours  were  in 
what  you  would  call  uncommonly  bad  form,"  he  said. 
"  It  would  be  better  if  you  didn't  make  any  more  of 
them." 

"  Bella  doesn't  mind ;  she's  used  to  me,"  Crestwick 
grinned. 

"  I  wasn't  referring  to  Bella  —  she  has  somebody  to 
take  care  of  her." 

"  And  Miss  Gladwyne  hasn't?  Still,  that's  her  own 
fault,  isn't  it?  In  my  opinion,  she  has  only  to  say 
the  word."  He  paused,  seeing  his  companion's  face 
in  the  moonlight,  for  its  expression  was  not  encourag- 
ing. "  Oh,  well !  "  he  added,  "  you  needn't  lose  your 
temper.  There  are  people  who  can  never  see  when  a 
thing's  humorous ;  I'll  wind  up." 

In  the  meanwhile  Millicent  sat  in  the  entrance  of  her 


304  THE  LONG  PORTAGE 

tent,  looking  out  between  the  dark  trunks  of  the  cedars 
on  the  ghttering  river.  It  sluiced  by,  lapping  noisily 
upon  the  shingle,  lined  with  streaks  of  froth,  and  the 
roar  of  the  neighboring  fall  filled  the  lonely  gorge. 
The  wildness  of  her  surroundings  had  its  charm; 
she  had  been  happier  among  them  than  she  had  been 
at  any  time  during  the  last  twelve  months  in  England, 
and  now  she  was  uneasily  conscious  of  the  reason. 
Lisle's  constant  watchfulness  over  her  comfort,  his 
cheery  conversation,  even  the  sight  of  him  when  he 
was  too  busy  to  talk,  were  strangely  pleasant.  She 
realized  why  she  had  made  him  take  the  harder  way 
in  helping  her  down  from  the  rock  and  the  knowledge 
was  disconcerting.  She  had  been  afraid  to  trust  her- 
self to  the  clasp  of  his  arms,  but  not  because  of  any 
want  of  confidence  in  him. 

Then  she  saw  Carew  kiss  Bella  among  the  cedars 
before  she  left  him  to  walk  toward  the  tent,  and  the 
sight  stirred  her  blood.  It  was  clear  that  she  must  be 
on  her  guard ;  her  guide  must  be  kept  firmly  at  a  dis- 
tance, though  this  promised  to  be  diflicult.  She  was, 
to  all  intents  and  purposes,  pledged  to  Clarence ;  and 
until  Bella  joined  her  she  tried  to  fix  her  thoughts  on 
him,  wondering  where  he  was  and  what  he  was  doing, 
without  being  able  to  find  much  interest  in  the  ques- 
tion. 

As  it  happened,  Clarence  was  then  sitting  in  a  lux- 
urious parlor-car  as  a  big  west-bound  train  sped 
through  the  forests  of  Ontario,  but  his  face  was 
troubled  and  he  felt  ill  at  ease.  A  little  more  than 
a  fortnight  earlier  he  had  met  Marple  at  a  Swiss  hotel, 
and  the  man  had  informed  him  that  Miss  Gladwyne 
and  Miss  Hume  had  sailed  for  Canada.     Nasmyth,  he 


AN  UNPLEASANT  SURPRISE  305 

added,  had  gone  by  a  previous  steamer,  to  make  ar- 
rangements for  some  journey  they  wished  to  under- 
take. This  was  the  first  intimation  Clarence  had 
received.  ^lillicent  had  written  to  him  on  the  day  be- 
fore she  sailed,  but  the  letter,  following  him  to  one 
of  the  Italian  valleys,  had  not  yet  reached  him,  and 
he  was  filled  with  consternation.  She  had  stolen  away, 
as  if  she  did  not  wish  to  be  burdened  with  his  com- 
pany ;  she  was  going  to  visit  the  scene  of  her  brother's 
death,  no  doubt  under  the  guidance  of  Lisle,  who  had 
strong  suspicions  concerning  it.  He  might  communi- 
cate them  to  Alillicent;  perhaps  he  had  done  so  already, 
which  would  account  for  her  silent  departure.  With 
an  effort  Gladwyne  roused  himself  to  action.  He  made 
up  his  mind  to  follow  her  and,  if  necessary,  attempt 
some  defense.  Perhaps,  he  thought,  he  could  manage 
to  destroy  any  evidence  of  his  treachery  which  the 
Canadian  had  discovered. 

Still,  he  was  tormented  by  doubts  as  he  lounged  in 
the  parlor-car,  and,  growing  restless,  he  went  out  on 
the  rear  platform  and  lighted  a  cigar.  There  was 
faint  moonlight,  and  dim  trees  fled  past  him;  the  rat- 
tle of  wheels  and  the  rush  of  the  cool  wind  was  sooth- 
ing. He  could  not  think  while  he  stood  holding  on 
by  the  brass  rail  to  protect  himself  against  the  lurch- 
ing, and  he  found  a  relief  in  the  roar  as  the  great  train 
swept  across  a  foaming  river.  They  had  been  de- 
tained at  a  junction  during  the  afternoon,  and  the 
engineer  was  evidently  bent  on  making  up  the  wasted 
time. 

Presently  the  door  of  the  next  car  opened,  and 
Gladwyne  started  violently  as  a  dark  figure  came  out 
on  to  the  platform. 


306  THE  LONG  PORTAGE 


"  Batley !  "  he  cried.  "  What  In  the  name  of  won- 
der has  brought  you  here !  " 

Batley,-  .moving  forward  into  the  moonhght,  re- 
garded him  with  a  mocking  smile. 

"  Nothing  very  remarkable ;  I'd  several  motives. 
For  one  thing,  I  felt  I'd  hke  the  trip  —  had  a  stroke 
of  luck  not  long  ago  which  justified  the  expense. 
British  Columbia's  nowadays  almost  as  accessible  as 
parts  of  Norway,  where  I've  generally  gone  to,  and  I 
understand  it's  wilder.'* 

"  But  how  is  it  I  haven't  seen  you  on  the  train,?  " 
Gladwyne  asked,  In  no  way  reassured  by  the  man's 
careless  explanation. 

"  I  only  got  on  at  the  last  junction."  Batley's  tone 
was  significant  as  he  proceeded.  "  I  was  too  late  for 
your  Allan  boat ;  when  I  Inquired  about  you  in  London 
I  found  that  you  had  gone;  but  I  caught  the  next 
New  York  Cunarder  and  came  on  by  Buffalo.  I  sup- 
pose you  stopped  a  day  or  two  in  Montreal,  which  ex- 
plains how  I've  overtaken  you." 

"  We  were  held  up  by  ice  off  Newfoundland." 

"  Well,"  suggested  Batley,  "  suppose  we  go  into 
the  smoking  end  of  the  car.  I  dare  say  you'd  like  a 
talk  and  it's  rather  noisy  here.  Besides,  the  cinders 
are  a  little  too  plentiful." 

They  went  in  and  Batley,  lounging  in  a  seat,  lighted 
a  cigar  and  waited  with  an  amused  expression  for  the 
other  to  begin.  Gladwyne  was  intensely  uneasy.  It 
had  been  a  vast  relief  to  be  free  from  his  companion, 
and  the  last  thing  he  desired  was  that  Batley,  who  was 
a  remarkably  keen-witted  man,  should  go  over  the  track 
of  George's  expedition  in  company  with  Lisle. 

"  Now,"  he  said,  "  I'd  be  glad  if  you  would  tell  me 


AN  UNPLEASANT  SURPRISE  307 

exactly  why  you  followed  me.  The  reason  you  gave 
didn't  seem  sufficient." 

"  Then  my  other  object  ought  to  be  clear.  You're 
carrying  a  good  deal  of  my  money ;  I  felt  it  would  be 
wiser  to  keep  an  eye  on  you.  As  I  said,  I'd  had  a 
stroke  of  luck  that  enabled  me  to  get  away." 

"  I  suppose  that  means  somebody  has  suffered ! " 
Gladwyne,  in  his  bitterness,  could  not  help  the  in- 
judicious sneer. 

"  Oh,  no,"  returned  Batley  good-humoredly.  "  In 
this  case,  I'd  set  a  man  on  his  feet  —  it's  now  and 
then  as  profitable  as  pulling  one  down,  and  my  methods 
aren't  always  destructive.  The  fellow  was  straight 
and  I'm  inclined  to  believe  he  was  grateful.  I  don't 
think  he  could  have  found  anybody  else  to  back  him, 
but  I'm  not  afraid  of  a  risk."  He  paused  and  smiled 
at  his  companion.  "  Sometimes  I  make  mistakes ;  I 
did  so  with  you." 

Gladwyne  flushed,  but  Batley  proceeded: 

*'  I  may  remind  you  that  when  I  financed  you  I 
was  led  to  believe  that  you  would  succeed  to  a  hand- 
some property ;  not  one  that  was  stripped  of  its  work- 
ing capital.  I'll  give  you  credit  for  misleading  me 
rather  cleverly.  All  this  is  to  the  point,  because  it 
explains  my  watchful  attitude.  You're  the  kind  of 
man  I  prefer  to  keep  in  sight." 

Disgust,  humiliation  and  anger  possessed  Gladwyne, 
but  he  knew  that  he  was  in  his  companion's  hands, 
and  he  did  not  think  that  Batley  had  stated  all  of  his 
reasons  yet.  It  was  possible  that  he  expected  to  dis- 
cover something  in  British  Columbia  that  would 
strengthen  his  hold  on  his  victim. 

"  Well,"  he  replied  with  an  attempt   at  calmness, 


308  THE  LONG  PORTAGE 

"  we  needn't  quarrel,  since  it  looks  as  if  we'd  have  to 
put  up  with  each  other  for  some  time.  Have  you 
finished  what  you  have  to  say?  " 

"  Not  quite.  There's  one  question  yet.  When  do 
you  expect  to  marry  Miss  Gladwyne.''  " 

"  What  is  that  to  you  ?  "  Clarence  broke  out. 

*'  Just  this  —  I'm  anxious  to  form  some  idea  as  to 
when  I'm  likely  to  get  my  money  back.  Since  Miss 
Crestwick  dropped  you,  there's  only  Miss  Gladwyne 
available,  so  far  as  I  know,  and  you  have  got  to 
marry  money  and  do  so  pretty  soon.  I'm  willing  to 
do  anything  that  may  help  on  the  match." 

Gladwyne's  face  burned,  he  looked  savage,  but 
Batlev  continued  to  watch  him  with  an  ironical  smile. 

*'  I  don't  want  to  drive  you  too  hard,  but  I'm  only 
stating  an  obvious  fact,"  he  concluded.  "  Now  I'll 
leave  you  to  think  it  over  while  I  interview  the  porter 
of  the  sleeping-car." 


CHAPTER  XXVIII 

CLARENCE    REACHES    CAMP 

THE  evening  was  dull  and  gloomy,  a  gray  sky 
hung  over  the  desolate  hills,  and  Millicent,  sit- 
ting alone  on  a  rocky  slope,  felt  troubled  and 
depressed.  Beneath  her,  the  long  hollow  that  crossed 
the  biir  divide  stretched  back,  colored  in  cheerless 
neutral  tints,  into  drifting  mist.  It  was  sprinkled 
with  little  ponds,  and  banded  here  and  there  with  belts 
of  stunted  trees,  small  birches  and  willows,  and  ragged 
cedars  that  hid  the  oozy  muskegs  under  them. 

The  girl  was  worn  with  travel,  for  Lisle  had 
abandoned  the  canoes  some  time  ago,  and  the  party 
had  followed,  by  what  he  called  easy  stages,  the  trail 
he  and  the  packers  had  broken,  though  the  women 
had  found  the  way  hard  enough.  This,  he  had  in- 
formed them,  would  shorten  the  journey  a  good  deal, 
and  he  expected  to  fall  in  with  some  Indians,  from 
whom  canoes  could  be  obtained,  once  they  had  crossed 
the  divide;  failing  this,  they  might  be  compelled  to 
retrace  their  steps. 

It  was  up  the  foi'bidding  hollow  they  had  lately 
reached  that  George  Gladwyne  had  doggedly  plodded, 
faint  with  hunger,  on  his  last  journey.  Millicent  had 
followed  his  trail  for  the  past  two  days  and  she  had 
found  them  filled  with  painful  memories.  All  that 
Lisle  had  shown  her  had  brought  back  her  brother  and 

309 


310  THE  LONG  PORTAGE 

once  more  she  mourned  for  him.  But  that  was  an  old 
wound  that  had  partly  healed  and  she  could  face  the 
sorrowful  story  of  George's  last  struggles  with  a  cer- 
tain pride;  he  had  endured  with  unwavering  courage, 
and  the  manner  of  his  death  became  him.  The  girl 
had  other  troubles  which  clouded  the  present  and  filled 
her  with  misgivings  for  the  future. 

During  her  first  few  weeks  in  the  wilderness,  lying 
all  day  under  clear  sunshine  and  cloudless  skies,  it 
had  seemed  to  her  an  enchanted  land.  Snow-peaks, 
and  crystal  lakes  that  mirrored  ranks  of  climbing  firs, 
struck  her  as  endowed  with  an  almost  unearthly 
beauty  and  as  wonderful  a  tranquillity ;  and  when  she 
pushed  on  through  the  savage  portals  of  the  moun- 
tains there  was  something  that  stirred  her  nature  in 
the  sight  of  the  foaming  rivers  and  the  roar  of  the 
spray-veiled  falls.  Now,  however,  the  glamour  had' 
gone,  it  had  been  rudely  banished  on  the  night  when 
Lisle  had  helped  her  down  the  rocks.  She,  who  had 
allowed  Clarence  to  believe  that  she  would  marry  him, 
had  found  a  strange  delight  in  the  company  of  an- 
other man ;  one  whom  she  might  have  loved  had  she 
been  free,  she  tried  to  convince  herself,  in  a  determined 
attempt  to  hide  the  fact  that  her  heart  cried  out  for 
him. 

Lisle  had  pushed  on  with  a  single  companion  on  the 
previous  night  to  see  if  he  could  obtain  canoes ;  the 
packers  were  breaking  a  trail,  and  the  others  were 
resting  in  camp.  Millicent  was  glad  of  this,  for  she 
wanted  to  be  alone.  Suddenly,  as  she  looked  down  the 
hollow,  two  indistinct  figures  appeared  out  of  the  mist. 
The  packers  had  gone  up  the  valley,  but  there  was 
no  doubt  that  it  was  two  men  she  saw,  and  they  were 


CLARENCE  REACHES  CAMP  311 

apparently  making  for  the  camp.  As  the  party  liad 
met  nobody  since  entering  the  wilderness,  she  felt  curi- 
ous about  the  strangers.  There  was  something  in  the 
carriage  of  one  of  them  that  seemed  familiar;  and 
then  the  uneasiness  of  which  she  had  already  been 
conscious  became  intensified  as  she  recognized  that  he 
walked  like  Clarence. 

A  few  minutes  later  the  men  were  hidden  by  a 
growth  of  willows  and  she  sped  back  to  camp,  scram- 
bling among  the  rocks  with  a  haste  that  was  bom  of 
nervous  tension.  She  did  not  see  the  men  again  — 
it  was  needful  to  pick  a  path  down  the  steep  descent 
very  carefully  —  and  when  she  came,  breathless,  upon 
the  clump  of  birches  among  which  the  tents  were  pitched 
it  was  evident  from  the  hum  of  voices  that  the 
strangers  had  already"  arrived.  Pushing  in  among  the 
trees,  she  stopped,  with  her  heart  beating  unpleasantly 
fast,  face  to  face  with  Clarence. 

"Ah!"  he  exclaimed,  moving  forward  to  meet  her; 
"  now  I'm  rewarded  for  my  journey.  How  fit  and 
brown  you  look,  Millicent !  " 

She  stood  still  a  moment,  with  an  expressionless 
face,  finding  no  words  to  say ;  then  with  an  eflPort 
she  roused  herself  and  shook  hands  with  him. 

"  You  must  have  had  a  trying  march  if  you  fol- 
lowed our  trail,"  she  said.  "  But  how  did  you  get 
here  —  I  mean  why  did  you  leave  Switzerland.'*" 

Crestwick  chuckled. 

"  That's  xery  nmch  what  we  all  asked  him,"  he 
broke  in.  "  In  one  way,  it's  hardly  civil ;  if  we'd 
kno%v'n  he  was  coming,  we'd  have  been  better  prepared 
lo  express  our  delight." 

The  lad  was  not,  as  a  rule,  considerate  and  he  suf- 


312  THE  LONG  PORTAGE 

fered  from  want  of  tact,  but  there  was  truth  behind 
what  he  said.  It  is  given  to  only  a  few  to  be  sure 
of  a  warm  and  sincere  welcome  when  they  take  their 
friends  by  surprise.  Nasmyth  frowned  at  Crestwick, 
Avho  had  rashly  hinted  at  the  feeling  of  constraint  that 
had  seized  upon  the  party.  Millicent,  however,  was 
looking  at  Gladwyne  and  her  heart  grew  softer  as  she 
noticed  his  weariness  and  his  strained  expression. 

"  Well,"  she  said  when  he  had  answered  her,  "  you 
must  sit  down  and  rest.  Nasmyth  and  Crestwick  will 
get  you  something  to  eat  as  soon  as  possible." 

It  was  not  what  she  would  have  wished  to  say  —  it 
sounded  dreadfully  commonplace  —  but  Batley  came 
forward  with  an  easy  laugh. 

"  I'm  afraid  our  young  friend " —  he  indicated 
Crestwick  — "  is  not  a  diplomatist,  but  on  the  whole 
his  fault's  a  good  one ;  he's  more  or  less  honest.  You'll 
forgive  us  for  surprising  you ;  it  was  quite  impossible 
to  send  you  a  warning." 

Millicent  smiled,  the  tension  suddenly  slackened,  and 
as  the  packer  who  cooked  was  away  with  his  comrade, 
they  all  set  about  preparing  a  meal  which,  thanks  to 
Batley,  was  eaten  amid  a  flow  of  lively  conversation. 
The  man  was  weary,  but  he  could  rise  to  an  occasion 
and  summon  to  his  aid  a  genial  wit.  Clarence  was  glad 
of  this ;  fatigue  had  reacted  on  him,  increasing  his 
anxiety,  and  he  had  been  chilled  by  the  coldness  of  his 
reception.  Even  the  cordiality  his  companions  now 
displayed  was  suspicious,  because  it  suggested  that 
they  wished  to  atone  for  something  that  had  previously 
been  lacking.  He  ate,  however,  and  talked  when  he 
found  an  opportunity,  and  afterward  acquiesced  when 
Millicent  declined  to  be  drawn  away  from  the  others. 


CLARENCE  REACHES  CAMP  313 

When  the  meal  was  finished,  they  sat  close  together 
about  the  fire,  for  coldness  came  with  the  dusk,  but  by 
degrees  the  conversation  languished.  The  increasing 
chill,  the  gloom  and  the  desolation  of  their  surround- 
ings affected  them  all ;  and  nobody  had  been  quite  at 
ease  since  Gladwyne's  arrival.  He  was  too  tired  to 
make  more  than  spasmodic  attempts  to  talk,  and 
though  Milliccnt  was  sorry  for  him  she  could  not  help 
contrasting  him  with  Lisle.  She  had  seen  the  latter 
almost  worn,  out  with  severe  labor,  but  even  then  he 
had  been  cheerful,  ready  to  encourage  his  companions 
with  lively  badinage.  He  seemed  to  take  pleasure  in 
forcing  his  body  to  the  utmost  strain  it  could  bear. 

The  light  had  died  away  into  the  partial  obscurity 
which  would  last  until  sunrise  when  Lisle  walked  into 
camp.  The  fire  had  burned  up,  and  ]Millicent  saw  his 
start  and  his  face  set  hard  at  the  sight  of  Gladwjme. 

"  This  is  a  surprise,"  he  said.  "  When  did  you  get 
here.?" 

"  About  two  hours  ago.  We  found  where  you  left 
the  water  and  followed  up  your  trail,"  Gladwyne  an- 
swered. 

"  How  many  packers  and  what  stores  did  you 
bring.'*  " 

"  Two  packers,"  replied  Gladwyne.  "  There  were 
no  more  available  at  the  last  settlement.  Batley  has  a 
list  of  the  provisions  —  we  cut  them  down  as  much  as 
possible.  As  we  were  anxious  to  ovei-take  you,  we 
traveled  light." 

'•■   Lisle  took  the  list  Batley  gave  him  and  examined  it 
by  the  glow  of  the  fire. 

"  It  looks  as  if  vou  didn't  mind  ondangerinff  the 
safety   of  the   whole   party,"   he  broke   out.     "  This 


814  THE  LONG  PORTAGE 

expedition  is  already  quite  large  enough,  and  you  add 
four  people  to  it  with  less  than  half  the  necessary 
stores,  so  that  you  could  save  yourself  a  little  trouble 
on  the  journey!  What's  more  important,  we  can't 
make  up  for  the  shortage  by  better  speed.  Only  two 
of  you  can  pack  an  average  load,  though  all  four  must 
be  fed." 

Millicent  had  listened,  hot  with  anger  and  a  little 
surprised.  Lisle  had  his  faults,  including  a  short- 
ness of  temper,  but  he  was  now  showing  a  strain  of 
what  she  considered  primitive  barbarism  which  he  had 
hitherto  concealed.  A  cultured  Englishman  would 
have  led  Clarence  aside  or  waited  for  an  opportunity 
before  remonstrating  with  him ;  and  then  her  face 
burned  as  she  wondered  whether  Lisle  had  been  actu- 
ated by  savage  jealousy.  It  was,  however,  insuffer- 
able that  he  should  display  it  in  this  fashion. 

"  I  must  point  out  that  I  organized  the  expedition," 
she  said.     "  Everybody  here  is  my  guest." 

"  Did  you  invite  Gladwyne  and  Batley?  " 

"  I  did  not,"  Millicent  was  compelled  to  own.  "  For 
all  that,  they  are  now  in  the  same  position  as  the  rest. 
I  must  ask  you  to  remember  it." 

Lisle  had  some  trouble  in  controlling  himself,  but  he 
nodded.  "  Well,"  he  responded,  "  I'll  have  to  alter 
several  of  our  arrangements  and  I'll  go  along  and  talk 
it  over  with  the  packers.  I've  got  the  canoes  required, 
and  we'll  take  the  trail  at  seven  to-morrow." 

He  strode  away  toward  the  packers'  fire,  quite  aware 
that  he  had  not  behaved  in  a  very  seemly  way,  but 
still  consumed  with  indignation  against  Gladwyne. 
When  he  had  disappeared,  Clarence  looked  up. 

"  I'm  sorry  if  we  have  given  you  unnecessary  trou- 


CLABENCE  REACHES  CAMP  315 

ble ;  but  docs  your  guide  often  adopt  that  rather 
hectoring  tone?  " 

His  languid  contempt  roused  Crestwick. 

"  Lisle's  responsible  for  the  safety  of  all  of  us," 
the  lad  broke  out,  "  and  you  haven't  shown  much  re- 
gard for  it  in  making  your  loads  as  light  as  you 
could !  " 

Millicent  raised  her  hand. 

"  We'll  talk  about  something  else  for  a  few  minutes 
and  then  break  up.     It's  an  early  start  to-mon'ow." 

They  dispersed  shortly  afterward,  but  Batley  sought 
Lisle  before  retiring  to  rest. 

"  I  regret  that  we  have  added  to  your  anxiety,"  he 
began.  "  Of  course,  transport  is  a  serious  difficulty 
—  I've  had  some  little  experience  of  this  kind  of 
thincf, 


»> 


"  In  the  field?  "  Lisle  asked  bluntly.  "  I've  had  a 
suspicion  of  it.  Then  why  didn't  you  remember?  " 
He  saw  Batley's  smile,  for  they  were  standing  by  the 
packers'  fire.  "  Oh,"  he  added,  "  you  needn't  trouble 
to  shield  Gladwyne.  I  formed  my  opinion  of  him 
some  time  ago  —  he's  a  mighty  poor  specimen." 

"  I'm  inclined  to  agree  with  you,"  replied  Batley 
dryly. 

They  set  off  early  the  next  morning,  and  after  his 
forced  march,  Gladwyne  found  the  load  given  him 
sufficiently  heavy.  He  was  badly  jaded,  aching  all 
over,  and  disturbed  in  mind,  when  they  camped  near 
the  summit  of  the  divide  late  in  the  afternoon  without 
his  having  been  able  to  secure  a  word  with  jMillicent 
alone.  He  felt  that  he  must  gain  her  consent  to  a 
formal  engagement  before  Lisle  let  fall  any  hint  of 
his  suspicions,  which  he  did  not  believe  had  been  done 


316  THE  LONG  PORTAGE 

so  far.  Afterward,  knowing  Milllcent,  he  thought 
she  would  staunchly  refuse  to  listen  to  anything  to 
his  discredit,  and  he  could,  if  it  were  needful,  ascribe 
Lisle's  attack  to  jealousy.  He  must,  however,  also 
contrive  to  push  on  ahead  of  the  party,  on  some 
excuse,  and  obliterate  any  remaining  trace  of  the 
former  expedition's  provision  caches ;  then  he  would 
be  safe. 

Millicent  had  strolled  away  from  the  others  and  was 
standing  among  the  rocks  when  he  overtook  her.  The 
signs  of  fatigue  and  tension  in  his  face  softened  her 
toward  him.  Still,  it  was  only  compassion ;  she  felt 
no  thrill,  but  rather  an  involuntary  shrinking  and  a 
sense  of  alarm.  She  was  to  be  called  upon  to  fulfil  a 
duty  to  which  she  had  somehow  pledged  herself. 

*'  Millicent,"  he  began,  "  things  can't  go  on  as  they 
have  been  doing  —  pleasant  as  it  was.  I  have  waited 
patiently,  but  you  can't  expect  too  much.  Now  I 
have  come  a  long  way  to  claim  my  reward.  I  want 
the  right  to  look  after  you,  and  to  tell  the  others  so." 

His  abruptness  and  hoarseness  were  expressive,  but 
she  felt  that  there  was  something  lacking  and  she  an- 
swered with  a  flippancy  she  seldom  indulged  in. 

*'  You  thought  it  needful  to  bring  your  privy 
counselor  with  you  ?  " 

*'  No ;  he  came  without  even  asking  my  permission." 

"  Well,"  she  said,  sitting  down  with  forced  calmness, 
"  it  doesn't  matter ;  but  are  you  quite  sure  now  that 
you  really  want  me?  " 

There  was  no  doubt  that  he  was  desperately  anxious 
for  her  formal  word ;  there  was  a  feverish  eagerness 
in  his  eyes.  It  puzzled  her,  but  it  left  her  unmoved 
and  cold. 


CLARENCE  REACHES  CAMP  317 

"  Want  you !  "  he  cried.  "  Can  you  ask?  Haven't 
I  constantly  shown  my  devotion?  " 

"  For  the  last  few  months  —  I  mean  after  Lisle 
went  back  to  Canada,"  she  replied  with  gathering 
color.  "  Before  then,  for  a  time,  I  think  one  could 
reasonably  have  doubted  it." 

He  looked  confused ;  that  Bella  had  attracted  him 
had  been  obvious,  and  there  was  no  way  of  getting 
over  the  fact  gracefully. 

"  I'm  afraid  I  have  mj^  weaknesses  —  want  of  bal- 
ance, impulsiveness,  and  a  capacity  for  being  easily 
piqued,"  he  confessed.  "  Well,  though  perhaps  I  de- 
served it,  you  were  cold  and  aloof  enough  to  madden  a 
more  patient  man,  and  I  suppose  I  slackly  yielded  to 
wounded  vanity.  All  the  time,  you  were  the  one  I 
had  chosen ;  tlie  only  woman  who  had  ever  really 
stirred  or  could  influence  me.  Nearly  as  long  as  I 
can  remember  I  have  loved  and  respected  you.  Oc- 
casionally you  unbent  enough  to  show  me  that  you 
recognized  it." 

There  was  some  tinith  in  this,  and  seeing  the  change 
in  her  expression,  he  went  on : 

*'  You  can't  cast  me  off  and  fling  me  back  upon 
mj'self  —  I  couldn't  face  that.  During  those  last  few 
months  in  England,  you  helped  me  fonvard  far  more 
than  you  suspected  —  sliowcd  me  my  duties,  enabled 
me  to  carry  them  out.  I  can't  go  on  alone ;  I'm  your 
responsibility ;  having  taken  it  up,  you  can't  deny  it 
now," 

Millicent  smiled  faintly. 

"  No,"  she  admitted ;  "  I  suppose  that  would  be 
hardly  fair." 

He  would  have  thrown  his  ami  about  her,  but  she 


318  THE  LONG  PORTAGE 

laid  a  hand  on  his  shoulder  and  with  gentle  firmness 
held  him  back. 

"  No,"  she  said,  with  a  deep  color  in  her  face ;  "  not 
yet.  We  have  been  associated  as  cousins ;  I  must  get 
used  to  the  new  position." 

He  had  wit  enough  to  3'ield,  but  he  kissed  her  hands 
exultantly. 

"  It's  a  pledge !  I  may  tell  the  others  ?  " 
"  Yes,"  she  consented  quietly,  "  I  think  you  may." 
For  a  while  he  sat  at  her  feet,  with  her  hand  on 
his  shoulder,  talking  about  the  future,  and  she  was 
sensible  of  a  certain  calm  satisfaction  which  had  in  it 
more  than  a  trace  of  resignation.  She  had  not  shirked 
her  duty,  she  was  safe  from  temptation,  and  she  had 
after  all  a  sincere,  half-pitying  tenderness  for  the 
man.  Her  liking  for  him  would,  she  thought,  grow 
stronger,  and  the  passion  which  Lisle  had  once  or  twice 
half  awakened  in  her  was  a  thing  to  be  subdued  and 
dreaded.  Though  Gladwyne  saw  that  she  was  but 
lightly  moved,  he  was  content,  and  some  time  had 
passed  when  they  went  slowly  back  together  to  the 
camp. 

Miss  Hume  was  the  first  to  notice  them  and  when 
Millicent  smiled  she  went  hastily  forward  and  kissed 
her.  Then  Bella  joined  them  and  Batley  offered  his 
good  wishes  in  fitting  terms.  When  Lisle  and  Nas- 
myth  came  up,  a  word  from  Bella  was  sufficient 
for  them.  For  a  moment  the  girl  was  startled  by 
what  she  read  in  the  Canadian's  face.  It  was,  however, 
invisible  to  Millicent.  Turning  suddenly  round  with- 
out speaking  he  strode  away,  followed  by  Nasmyth. 
Stopping  when  he  was  hidden  from  the  camp  among 
the  rocks  Lisle  turned  savagely  to  his  companion. 


CLARENCE  REACHES  CAMP  319 

"  You  heard  what  Bella  said !  " 

"I  did!"  replied  Nasmjth.  "The  hound!  It 
must  be  stopped  !  " 

"  Yes,"  asserted  Lisle,  more  coolly,  "  that's  a  sure 
thing.  Still,  there  are  difficulties  —  she  may  not  be- 
lieve my  story  now.  I  almost  think  I'll  wait  until  we 
reach  the  two  caches ;  then  with  something  to  back  my 
statements,  I  might  force  the  truth  from  him." 

"  In  that  case,  you  had  better  watch  him,"  warned 
Nasmyth,  looking  deeply  disturbed.  "  He  may  try 
to  reach  them  first." 

The  next  moment  Crestwick  joined  them. 

"  What's  to  be  done,  Vernon  ?  "  he  exclaimed. 
**  Miss  Gladwyne's  engagement's  formally  announced 
—  it  can't  go  on  !  " 

"  Why.?  "  Lisle's  voice  was  stern.  "  What  has  it  to 
do  with  you.f"  " 

"  Well,"  explained  Crestwick,  hesitating,  "  the  man's 
not  to  be  trusted,  he's  dangerous.  He  simply  can't 
be  allowed  to  make  this  match ! "  He  paused  and 
spread  out  his  hands.  "  I'm  horribly  troubled  about 
it  —  I'd  better  tell  you  that  I  know  — " 

"  You  know  nothing  that  need  be  mentioned,"  Lisle 
interrupted  him.  "  That's  positive ;  you  have  to  re- 
member it.  As  to  the  rest,  you'll  leave  the  matter 
entirely  in  my  hands." 

"  Oh,  well,"  agreed  Crestwick,  "  if  you  order  it. 
That  relieves  me  of  my  responsibility.  I'm  uncom- 
monly glad  to  get  rid  of  it." 

Lisle  abruptl}'  strode  awaj^,  and  Crestwick  saw  that 
Nasmyth  was  regarding  him  curiously. 

"  Lisle  was  quite  right,"  Nasmyth  said.  "  He  only 
forestalled  me  in  instructions  I  meant  to  give  you." 


320  THE  LONG  PORTAGE 

"  Then  3'ou  understand  what  I  was  referring  to  ?  " 
exclaimed  Crestwick. 

"  I've  a  good  idea,"  Nasmyth  answered  dryly.  "  In 
my  opinion,  so  has  Lisle." 

"  But  you  were  on  the  far  side  of  the  hedge  on  the 
morning  we  tried  the  horse,  and  Lisle  was  down.  He 
wasn't  conscious  when  I  broke  through  the  thorns." 

*'  Quite  correct ;  but  it's  most  unlikely  he  lost  con- 
sciousness from  the  fall,  and  he  was  lying  with  his 
face  turned  toward  the  jump  —  it  wasn't  until  the 
chestnut  came  down  on  his  shoulder  that  he  was  badly 
hurt.     The  doctor  agreed  with  me  on  that  point." 

"That  might  have  struck  me,"  Crestwick  rejoined. 
"  But  you  owned  that  you  had  an  idea  of  what  hap- 
pened at  the  jump.  How  did  you  get  it.''  Did  Lisle 
tell  you.?" 

Nasmyth  smiled  grimly. 

"  I'm  firmly  convinced  that  he'll  never  mention  what 
he  saw  or  suspects  to  anybody,  unless  it's  to  Glad- 
wyne.  As  to  the  rest,  the  hedge  wasn't  thick  enough 
to  prevent  my  seeing  through  it." 

"  He's  an  unusual  man,"  declared  Crestwick  in  an 
admiring  tone.  "  I  haven't  met  his  equal.  But  I'll 
keep  my  eye  on  Gladwyne  —  there's  risk  enough  at 
some  of  the  rapids  —  the  hound  shan't  have  another 
chance  if  I  can  help  it." 

They  turned  and  went  back  to  camp,  but  on  reach- 
ing it  they  sat  down  among  the  packers,  avoiding 
Gladwyne  and  Millicent. 


CHAPTER  XXIX 

A    BOLD    SCHEME 

THE  sense  of  security  which  Milhcent  experienced 
on  announcing  her  engagement  was  not  penna- 
nent  and  in  a  few  days  the  doubts  that  had 
troubled  her  crept  back  into  her  mind.  She  had  never 
entertained  any  marked  illusions  about  Clarence  and 
although,  now  that  she  was  irrevocably  pledged  to 
him,  she  endeavored  to  fix  her  thoughts  on  his  most 
likable  qualities,  even  these  appeared  in  a  less  favor- 
able light  than  they  had  formerly  done.  The  growth 
of  the  warmer  attachment  she  had  expected  to  feel 
was  strangely  slow,  and  though  it  was  early  to  in- 
dulge in  regrets  her  heart  sometimes  grew  heavy  as 
she  looked  foi'ward  to  the  future.  Clarence  was  con- 
siderate, attentive  and  deferential  in  a  polished  way, 
but  he  lacked  something  one  looked  for  in  a  lover. 
Besides,  she  was  anxious  about  him ;  he  looked  worn, 
his  manner  suggested  that  he  was  bearing  a  strain, 
but  this  was  in  his  favor,  for  it  roused  her  compas- 
sion. She  fancied  that  the  cause  of  it  was  financial, 
and  this  in  a  sense  was  encouraging,  because  this  was 
a  trouble  from  which  she  could  purchase  him  im- 
munity. 

In    the    meanwhile    she    was    stirred    by    mournful 
memories    as    she    followed    the    last    stages    of    her 

Q 

brother's  journey  and  visited  the  lonely  spot  where 

321 


322  THE  LONG  PORTAGE 

he  had  met  his  end.  Somehow  the  thought  of  him 
encouraged  her  —  George  had  quietly  done  his  duty, 
regardless  of  the  cost,  and  even  if  her  burden  proved 
heavy,  which  it  was  premature  to  admit,  she  must  bear 
it  cheerfully. 

At  length  they  stopped  one  evening  at  a  portage, 
and  Lisle  examined  the  stores. 

"  The  food's  getting  short,"  he  announced.  "  One 
or  two  of  you  had  better  take  out  your  rifles  the  first 
thing  to-morrow,  while  the  rest  go  fishing.  I'll  tackle 
the  portage  with  two  packers." 

He  began  his  work  at  sunrise  the  next  morning  and 
it  was  toward  evening  when  Crestwick  came  back  ex- 
ultant with  a  blacktail  buck.  Nasmyth  was  fishing 
near  the  camp  and  Lisle  was  busy  with  a  canoe  near  by. 

"Where  are  the  rest.''  How  have  they  got  on.''" 
Lisle  asked. 

"  I  think  Batley  went  back  to  the  last  reach  with 
Carew's  rod,"  Crestwick  answered.  "  I  met  Gladwyne 
and  one  of  the  packers  on  the  low  range  back  yonder ; 
they'd  only  got  a  blue  grouse." 

"  I  could  have  done  with  the  man  here,"  said  Lisle. 
"  Which  way  were  they  heading?  " 

"  Back  up-river,  the  way  we  came." 

Lisle  made  no  comment,  but  Crestwick  thought  he 
found  the  information  reassuring,  and  thrusting  out 
the  canoe  he  was  swept  away  down  the  easiest  part 
of  the  rapid,  while  Crestwick  assisted  Nasmyth  to 
land  a  trout.  Lisle  had  returned  to  the  camp  when 
the  packer  who  had  accompanied  Clarence  came  in 
alone,  bringing  a  couple  of  grouse. 

"What's  become  of  Mr.  Gladwyne.''"  Lisle  asked 
him. 


A  BOLD  SCHEME  323 

"  Plasn't  he  got  back?  "  replied  the  other,  glancing 
about.  "  I  lost  him  on  the  far  slope  of  the  bluff 
about  noon,  but  as  he  could  see  the  river  most  any- 
where from  the  top  I  went  right  on.  There  was  a 
deer  trail  I  was  trying  to  follow." 

Lisle  said  nothing  more  to  the  packer  but  walked 
rapidly  toward  where  the  cook  was  getting  supper 
ready.     Nasmyth  followed  him. 

*'  Did  you  give  ]Mr.  Gladv'3'ne  any  lunch  to  carry 
with  him  when  he  left  camp  ?  "  Lisle  asked  the  man. 

"  I  was  busy  when  he  came  along  and  I  told  him  to 
look  around  for  himself.  I  think  he  took  some  canned 
stuff  and  there  was  quite  a  big  loaf  missing." 

"  Bring  the  box  ^^ou  keep  the  canned  goods  in ! " 

The  cook  produced  it. 

*'  There's  two  meat  cans  gone,  anywa}',"  he  re- 
marked. "  Looks  as  if  ]Mr.  Gladwj^ne  figured  on  get- 
ting mighty  hungry." 

Lisle  nodded. 

"  Put  me  up  enough  bread  and  fish  for  two  of  us 
for  two  days." 

He  moved  away  with  Nasmyth,  and  they  had  left  the 
fire  behind  when  he  spoke,  his  voice  hoarse  with  anger. 

"  Gladwyne's  gone  to  the  cache !  He's  got  half  a 
day's  clear  start  of  us  and  he  knows  the  country. 
It's  pretty  open  and  he'll  make  quite  a  good  pace 
on  a  straight  trail,  while  tlie  river  bends.  Get  the 
stuff  I  asked  for  while  I  give  the  others  a  few  in- 
structions." 

"  You  mean  to  start  after  him  at  once?  " 

"  As  soon  as  you're  ready,"  Lisle  said  shortly. 

He  turned  back  toward  where  the  others  were  sit- 
ting waiting  for  supper. 


324)  THE  LONG  PORTAGE 

"  As  Gladwyne  hasn't  turned  up,  Nasmyth  and  I 
are  going  to  look  for  him,"  he  announced.  "  There's 
nothing  to  be  alarmed  about,  but  it's  quite  likely  we 
may  not  be  back  in  the  morning.  If  we  don't  turn 
up  by  noon,  you  had  better  start  down-river  and  we'll 
pick  you  up  farther  on.  I  don't  want  to  waste  an- 
other day." 

"  Do  you  think  he  has  got  lost  altogether.'^  "  Mil- 
licent  asked  anxiously. 

"  No,"  answered  Lisle,  in  a  reassuring  manner. 
"  Still,  some  of  these  ridges  are  bad  to  climb  and  quite 
a  lot  of  things  may  happen  to  delay  him." 

He  called  to  a  packer  and  gave  him  definite  orders  to 
take  the  party  down-river  and  wait  at  a  spot  agreed 
upon;  and  a  few  minutes  later  he  and  Nasmyth  left 
the  camp. 

Shortly  afterward  Batley  came  in. 

*'  Where  are  the  others  ?  "  he  asked. 

They  told  him  and  he  looked  thoughtful. 

"  So  Lisle  started  at  once !  Which  way  did  he  and 
Nasmyth  go.''  " 

"  Up  the  ridge  behind  us,  but  they  turned  down- 
stream when  they  reached  the  top,"  Carew  replied. 

Batley  scented  a  mystery. 

"Well,"  he  said,  "I  think  I'll  go  after  them;  I 
might  be  useful.  Of  course,  you'll  start  to-morrow 
as  Lisle  told  you,  and  if  I'm  not  back  by  then,  I'll 
follow  the  river  to  the  rendezvous  he  mentioned." 

He  disappeared,  as  did  Crestwick,  who  came  in  for 
supper  later  on,  and  as  the  packers  had  pitched  their 
tent  lower  down,  there  was  now  only  Carew  left  with 
the  women  in  camp.  They  were  all  a  little  uneasy  as 
dusk  grew  near ;  the  haste  v/ith  which  the  men  had  set 


A  BOLD  SCHEME  325 

out  one  after  another  struck  them  as  ominous.  Bella's 
mind  was  unusually  active,  for  she  had  promptly  de- 
cided that  there  was  something  behind  all  this,  and 
when  at  last  Millicent  strolled  away  from  the  others 
she  followed  her  to  the  edge  of  the  water.  A  ridge 
of  rock  cut  them  off  from  view  of  the  camp  and 
though  she  fancied  that  Millicent  was  not  pleased  to 
see  her,  Bella  sat  down  upon  a  stone. 

"  In  a  way,  the  anxiety  that  Lisle  and  the  rest  have 
shown  to  find  Clarence  is  flattering,"  she  began,  ex- 
pressing part  of  her  thoughts.  "  I  wonder  if  they'd 
all  have  gone  off  in  such  a  hurry  if  Jim  had  got  lost." 

"  Your  brother  knows  the  bush,"  returned  Milli- 
cent, hiding  her  fears. 

Bella  did  not  respond  to  this.  She  had  decided  that 
Millicent  must  not  be  allowed  to  marry  Gladwyne,  but 
she  could  not  bring  herself  to  denounce  the  man.  If 
that  must  be  done,  somebody  else  would  have  to  under- 
take the  task.  At  the  same  time,  she  felt  it  incumbent 
on  her  to  give  the  girl  some  warning,  or  at  least  to  find 
out  how  far  her  confidence  in  her  lover  went,  in  order 
to  determine  how  advice  could  best  be  offered. 

"  I  wonder  if  you  feel  quite  sure  you  will  be  happy 
with  Clarence.?"  she  ventured. 

"  You  have  provoked  the  retort  —  were  3'ou  con- 
vinced that  you  would  be  happy  with  Arthur  Carew, 
w^hen  you  made  up  your  mind  to  mai-ry  him  so  sud- 
denly? " 

Bella's  smile  expressed  forbearance.  It  was  get- 
ting dark,  but  she  could  see  the  hot  flush  in  her  com- 
panion's checks  and  the  sparkle  in  her  eyes.  Neither 
was  encouraging,  but  Bella  was  not  easily  daunted, 
and  she  felt  that  her  persistence  was  really  meritorious, 


326  THE  LONG  PORTAGE 

considering  that  until  lately  Millicent  had  never  been 
cordial  to  her. 

"  Perhaps  I'd  better  answer,"  she  said  sweetly.  "  I 
was  sure  of  Arthur,  and  that  means  a  good  deal  more 
than  that  I  kneAv  he  was  in  love  with  me  —  I  don't 
suppose  you  heard  that  he'd  proposed  to  me  once 
before  ?  " 

"Why  didn't  you  take  him  then.?"  Millicent  asked 
coldly.  "  Remember  you  have  justified  my  being 
personal." 

Bella  grew  rather  hot  —  when  Carew  had  made  his 
first  offer  she  had  been  in  eager  pursuit  of  Gladwyne 
—  but  she  sternly  suppressed  a  desire  to  retaliate. 

"  I  don't  think  we  need  go  into  that,"  she  replied. 
"  As  I  said,  I  was  sure  of  Arthur  —  I  knew  his  char- 
acter, knew  he  was  better  than  I  am,  that  he  could  be 
depended  on.  He's  the  kind  of  man  one  is  safe  with ; 
I  felt  that  the  more  I  saw  of  him,  the  more  I  could 
trust  him.  Perhaps  the  feeling's  a  safer  guide  than 
passion  —  it  stands  longer  wear  —  and  now  I'm  get- 
ting to  like  him  better  every  day." 

Her  voice  dropped  to  a  tender  note  and  Millicent 
felt  a  little  astonished,  and  ashamed  of  her  harshness. 
This  was  a  new  Bella,  one  in  whose  existence  she  could 
hardly  have  believed. 

"  I  haven't  quite  finished,  though  I  don't  often  talk 
like  this,"  Bella  went  on.  "  I  feel  that  without  the 
confidence  I've  tried  to  describe  marriage  must  be  a 
terrible  risk  —  one  might  find  such  ugly  qualities  in 
the  man ;  even  defects  you  could  forgive  beforehand 
would  become  so  much  worse  when  you  had  to  suffer 
because  of  them.  Of  course,  one  can't  expect  perfec- 
tion, but  there  ought  to  be  something  —  honor,  a  good 


A  BOLD  SCHEME  327 

heart,  a  generous  mind  —  that  one  can  rely  on  as  a 
sure  foundation.  When  you  have  that,  you  can  build, 
and  even  then  the  building  may  be  difficult."  She 
paused  before  she  concluded :  "  ^ly  dear,  I'm  hap- 
pier than  I  deserve  to  be ;  I  have  chosen  wisely." 

Nothing  more  was  said  for  a  few  minutes,  but  Bella, 
studying  her  companion's  face,  was  more  or  less  con- 
tent. Millicent's  faith  in  Clarence  was  weak,  she  was 
forcing  herself  to  believe  in  him ;  it  might  be  possible 
to  make  her  see  her  lover  in  his  true  character,  though 
Bella  had  not  yet  determined  on  the  exact  course  she 
would  adopt.  Then  Carew  called  from  the  camp  and 
she  went  back,  while  jMillicent  sat  still  with  grave 
doubts  in  her  heart.  Bella's  faith  in  her  husband  was 
warranted,  and  jNIillicent  was  enough  of  an  optimist 
to  believe  that  such  men  were  not  uncommon  —  there 
was  Lisle,  for  example,  and  Xasmyth.  With  them  one 
would  undoubtedly  have  something  to  build  a  happy 
and  profitable  life  upon  —  but  what  could  be  done 
with  one  in  whom  there  was  no  foundation,  only  the 
shifting  sands  of  impulses,  or,  perhaps,  unsounded 
depths  of  weakness  into  which  the  painfully-raised 
edifice  might  crumble?  She  stove  to  convince  herself 
that  she  was  becoming  wickedly  hypercritical,  thinking 
treasonably  of  her  lover,  particularly  in  contrasting 
him  with  her  guide.  There  must  be  no  more  of  that, 
and  she  rose  and  walked  back  to  her  tent  with  a  resolu- 
tion that  cost  her  an  effort. 

In  the  meanwhile  Lisle  and  Nasmyth  were  pushing 
on  as  fast  as  possible  along  the  stony  summit  of  the 
ridge.  There  was  moonlight,  which  made  it  a  little 
easier,  but  they  stumbled  every  now  and  then.  Here 
and  there  they  were  forced  to  scramble  down  the  sides 


828  THE  LONG  PORTAGE 

of  a  gullj  and  on  reaching  the  bottom  to  plunge  into 
water,  and  once  they  had  to  scramble  some  distance 
shut  in  by  the  rocks  before  they  could  find  a  means  of 
ascending.  Still,  they  were  hard  and  inured  to  fa- 
tigue, and  they  never  slackened  the  pace.  When 
striding  along  a  stretch  of  smoother  ground  Nasmyth 
gathered  breath  to  speak. 

"  We  were  easily  taken  in,"  he  declared ;  "  though 
the  thing  was  cunningly  planned.  Gladwyne  took  the 
packer  with  him  and  headed  back  at  first,  to  divert 
suspicion.  It  would  be  easy  enough  to  lose  the  man 
and  turn  down-stream  again ;  and  that  he  intended 
something  of  the  kind  is  proved  by  his  taking  so 
much  food  with  him.  No  doubt,  he'd  rather  have 
avoided  that,  in  case  it  looked  suspicious,  but  he's  had 
one  hungry  march  over  the  same  ground,  and  I  dare 
say  it  was  quite  enough.  Besides,  he  could  defy  us 
once  he'd  emptied  and  obliterated  the  caches." 

"  You  understand  the  way  your  people's  minds  work 
better  than  I  do,"  Lisle  returned  dryly. 

"  That's  natural,  isn't  it.?  The  idea  that  I'm  most 
impressed  with  just  now  is  that  Millicent  might  be- 
lieve it  her  duty  to  stick  to  Clarence  more  closely  be- 
cause of  a  tale  that  was  merely  damaging.  She  would 
never  allow  herself  or  anybody  else  to  credit  it,  unless 
she  had  absolutely  convincing  proof." 

"  Yes,"  agreed  Lisle ;  "  I  guess  you're  right.  That's 
precisely  why  we  have  got  to  get  there  first." 

A  thicket  of  thorny  vines  and  canes  barred  his  wa}'^, 
but  he  went  straight  at  the  midst  of  it  and  struggled 
through,  savagely  smashing  and  rending  dowTi  the 
brush.  The  clothes  he  had  borrowed  from  Carew 
looked  considerably  the  worse  for  wear  when  he  came 


A  BOLD  SCHEME  329 

out ;  and  then  he  recklessly-  leaped  across  a  dark  cleft 
the  bottom  of  which  he  could  not  see.  Presently  they 
loft  the  ridge  and  headed  away  from  the  river,  which 
flowed  round  a  wide  curve,  and  toward  dawn  they  were 
brought  up  by  a  ravine.  The  roar  of  water  rose 
hoarsely  from  its  depths.  The  moon  was  getting  low 
and  the  silvery  light  did  not  reach  far  down  the  op- 
posite side,  but  they  could  see  a  sheer,  smooth  wall  of 
rock,  and  the  width  of  the  chasm  rendered  any  at- 
tempt to  jump  it  out  of  the  question. 

"  No  way  of  getting  across  here,"  decided  Lisle. 
"  At  the  same  time,  it  looks  as  if  Gladwyne  must  be 
held  up  on  the  same  side  that  we  arc.  We'll  follow 
the  canon  ;  down-stream,  I  think." 

The  moonlight  was  getting  dimmer,  but,  at  some 
risk  of  falling  into  the  rift,  they  pushed  on  along 
the  brink,  looking  down  as  they  went.  They  could 
see  no  means  of  descending,  but  at  length,  when  rocks 
and  trees  were  getting  blacker  and  a  little  more  dis- 
tinct in  the  chilly  dawn,  they  made  out  a  fallen  trunk 
with  broken  white  branches  lying  upon  a  tall  mass 
of  rock  below. 

"  I've  an  idea  that  the  top  of  that  tree  reached 
across  to  this  side  when  it  first  came  down,"  Lisle 
said.     "Have  you  got  a  match?" 

Nasmj'th  had  brought  a  few  carefully-treasured 
wax  matches  with  him,  and  he  lighted  one.  It  was 
very  still,  except  for  the  roar  of  the  hidden  torrent, 
and  the  pale  flame  burned  steadily  in  the  motionless 
cold  air.  It  showed  a  couple  of  hollows,  where  some- 
thing had  rested,  close  to  the  edge  of  the  rift,  and 
one  or  two  fresh  scratches  on  a  strip  of  rock.  Lisle 
stooped  down  beside  them. 


330  THE  LONG  PORTAGE 

*'  Hold  the  thing  lower ! "  he  exclaimed  sharply. 
"  It's  as  I  suspected  —  this  is  where  Gladwyne  got 
across ;  though  he  has  better  nerves  than  I  thought 
he  had.  The  broken  end  of  a  branch  or  two  rested 
right  here,  and  he  was  smart  enough  to  heave  the  butt 
off  the  other  bank,  after  he'd  crawled  over.  Looks  to 
me  as  if  it  had  broken  off  yonder  stump.  Guess 
there'll  be  light  enough  to  look  for  a  way  across  in 
half  an  hour." 

Sitting  dow^l  he  filled  his  pipe,  and  shortly  after- 
ward he  raised  one  hand  as  if  listening.  For  a  while, 
Nasmyth  could  hear  nothing  except  the  roar  of  water ; 
there  was  not  a  sound  that  he  could  catch  in  the  thin 
straggling  bush  behind  them  where  few  trails  of  mist 
were  stretched  athwart  the  trees.  Then  he  started  as 
a  faint  crackling  and  snapping  began  in  the  distance. 

"  Can  it  be  a  bear?  "  he  asked. 

"  No  ;  it's  a  man  !  " 

Nasmyth  was  somewhat  astonished.  They  had  not 
seen  a  human  being  except  those  of  their  party  for 
a  long  while,  and  it  seemed  strange  that  they  should 
come  across  one  now  in  the  early  dawn  in  those  remote 
wilds. 

"  He's  wearing  boots,"  he  said  diffidently,  as  the 
crackling  drew  nearer. 

"  Yes,"  Lisle  responded ;  "  he's  making  a  good  deal 
more  noise  than  a  bushman  would." 

The  sound  steadily  approached  them.  Nasmyth 
found  something  mysterious  and  rather  eerie  in  it,  and 
he  was  on  the  whole  relieved  when  a  dark  figure  mate- 
rialized among  the  trees  near  by.  He  could  barely  see 
it,  but  Lisle  called  out  sharply : 

"  What  has  brought  you  on  our  trail,  Batley.''  " 


A  BOLD  SCHEME  331 

The  man  came  toward  them  with  a  breathless  laugh 
and  sat  down. 

"  It  isn't  your  trail  but  Gladwyne's  I'm  interested 
in,  and  I  can't  say  that  I've  succeeded  in  following 
that.  I  merely  pushed  on,  until  I  struck  this  canon 
and  as  I  couldn't  get  across,  I  followed  it  up." 

"  You're  not  easily  scared,"  Lisle  commented. 
"  You  might  have  got  lost.  Guess  you  had  some 
motive  tliat  made  you  take  the  risk." 

"  I  felt  pretty  safe.  You  see,  I  knew  I  could  strike 
the  river,  if  necessary.  At  the  same  time  you  were 
right  about  the  motive  —  in  fact,  there's  no  use  in 
trying  to  hide  it.  I  may  as  well  confess  that  I'd 
sooner  keep  Gladwyne  in  sight." 

"  Out  of  regard  for  his  welfare  F  "  Nasmyth  asked. 

Batley  laughed. 

"  Not  altogether.  The  fact  is,  he's  carrying  a  good 
deal  of  my  money." 

"  One  should  have  imagined  that  you'd  have  had 
him  well  insured." 

"  That's  quite  correct.  If  he  came  to  grief  in 
England,  I  shouldn't  anticipate  any  trouble,  but  it 
would  be  different  out  here  and,  everything  considered, 
I'd  rather  avoid  complications  with  the  insurance  com- 
panies. Now  that  I've  been  candid,  do  3'ou  feel  in- 
clined to  reciprocate.''  " 

"  Not  in  the  least,"  Lisle  replied  shortly-.  "  I'm  not 
sure  I  even  sympathize.  But  since  you've  turned  up 
you'll  have  to  stick  to  us ;  I  don't  want  to  waste  time 
in  leading  another  search  party.  As  soon  as  there's 
a  little  more  light,  we'll  try  to  get  across  the  canon." 

"  Thanks  for  the  permission,"  smiled  Batley,  light- 
ing a  cigar. 


CHAPTER  XXX 

THE   END   OF   THE   PURSUIT 

Y  degrees  the  light  got  clearer,  the  scattered 
black  cedars  grew  into  definite  form,  and  a 
strip  of  foaming  water  showed  in  the  depths 
of  the  chasm.  Lisle  walked  some  distance  along  the 
edge,  searching  for  an  easier  place  to  cross,  but  the 
rocks  were  smooth  and  almost  perpendicular  except 
where  they  overhung  the  torrent.  He  went  back  to 
where  the  others  were  sitting  and  found  that  they  had 
been  joined  by  Crestwick,  who  briefly  explained  that 
having  set  out  on  their  trail  he  had  been  stopped  by 
the  canon  and  had  followed  it  up  until  it  led  him  to 
them. 

"  It  looks  worse  farther  along ;  we'll  have  to  try  it 
here,"  Lisle  announced.  "  Can  you  get  down,  Nas- 
myth.?  " 

Nasmyth  glanced  into  the  rift.  It  was,  he  judged, 
nearly  sixty  feet  in  depth,  but  part  of  the  bank  on 
which  he  stood  had  slipped  down  into  the  stream,  leav- 
ing an  uneven  surface  by  means  of  which  an  agile  man 
might  descend.  A  tall  slab  of  rock,  evidently  part  of 
the  fallen  mass,  rose  in  a  pinnacle  from  the  water, 
and  on  top  of  it  rested  the  branches  of  the  tree  that 
Gladwyne  had  used  as  a  bridge  and  had  afterward 
dislodged.  The  rock  behind  it  on  the  opposite  bank 
was  absolutely  smooth,  but  the  thicker  end  of  the  log, 

332 


THE  END  OF  THE  PURSUIT  333 

which  had  fallen  against  the  face,  reached  to  within 
about  nine  feet  of  the  summit. 

"  Yes,"  he  said,  answering  Lisle's  question ;  "  but 
I'm  very  doubtful  whether  I  can  get  up  the  other  side. 
The  last  bit  looks  particularly  awkward ;  there's  an 
outward  bulge  just  beneath  the  top." 

"  We  might  manage  it  by  giving  the  leader  a  lift, 
if  we  got  so  far,"  Batley  suggested,  pointing  to  the 
sharp  slab.  "  That  pike  should  help  us ;  I  think  it 
would  go." 

"  You  think  it  would  go  ?  "  queried  Nasmyth  mean- 
ingly. "Aren't  you  mixing  idioms?  Pike's  what 
we'd  say  round  Wasdale,  and  your  other  expression's 
not  uncommon  in  Switzerland." 

Batley  laughed. 

"  I'll  own  that  I've  done  some  rock  work  in  both 
districts,  though  I  was  thinner  then.  But  I've  an 
idea  that  time's  precious  to  our  leader." 

He  lowered  himself  over  the  edge  and  finding  foot- 
hold, went  down  cautiously  by  crack  and  fissure,  while 
the  others  followed  with  some  trouble.  Alighting 
waist-deep  in  a  frothing  rush  of  water,  he  was  driven 
for  a  few  yards  down-stream,  and  it  was  only  by  seek- 
ing the  support  of  the  rock  that  he  slowly  made  head 
against  the  torrent.  Lisle  joined  him  when  he  reached 
the  foot  of  the  pinnacle,  where  they  stopped  to  gather 
breath  with  a  thin  shower  of  spray  whirling  about 
them.  The  light  was  still  dim  down  in  the  bottom  of 
tlie  chasm,  and  the  mass  of  rock  ran  up  above  them, 
shadowy,  black  and  almost  smooth. 

Wasting  no  time  in  examination,  Lisle  flung  himself 
upon  it,  seeking  for  a  grip  with  elbows  and  knees. 
He  had  ascended  a  vard  or  two  when  he  lost  hold  and 


334  THE  LONG  PORTAGE 

coming  down  with  a  run  fell  Avith  a  splash  Into  the 
stream. 

"  I  didn't  think  you'd  manage  It  that  way,"  Batley 
remarked.  "  The  edge  appears  a  little  more  promis- 
ing." 

He  went  up,  with  Lisle  following,  finding  hold  for 
knees  and  fingers,  while  Nasmyth  and  Crestwick,  pant- 
ing heavily,  encouraged  each  other  below.  On  reach- 
ing the  top  of  the  pinnacle,  Batley  lay  upon  It  av.d 
gave  Lisle  his  hand ;  and  when  he  had  drawn  him  up 
he  pointed  to  the  tree. 

"  I'll  go  first,  for  reasons  that  will  become  apparent 
later,"  he  explained.  "  Hold  on  to  the  log;  It  doesn't 
seem  firmly  fixed." 

The  tree  was  small  and  when  Lisle  shook  It  the  butt 
moved  against  the  face  of  the  rock,  which  was  sepa- 
rated by  a  broad  gap  from  the  top  of  thje  fallen  mass. 
Batley  was  heavy,  but  he  ascended  cautiously,  while 
Lisle  leaned  upon  the  log  to  steady  It.  Then,  calling 
Nasmyth  to  take  his  place.  Lisle  went  up.  When  he 
was  near  the  top,  It  looked  as  If  their  progress  must 
abruptly  cease.  The  butt  was  narrow  and  the  summit 
of  the  rock  above  it  projected  somewhat.  There  was 
not  the  smallest  knob  or  crevice  one  could  grasp,  and 
below  them  In  the  shadowy  rift  the  torrent  boiled 
furiously  among  massy  stones.  It  was  not  a  place 
to  slip  In. 

Batley,  however,  rose  very  carefully,  with  his  feet 
upon  the  shattered  butt  and  his  hands  pressed  against 
the  rock,  until  he  stood  almost  upright. 

"  You'll  have  to  climb  up  over  me  until  you  can  get 
your  fingers  on  the  top,"  he  said.  "  Take  time  when 
you  get  up  and  feel  for  a  good  hold." 


THE  END  OF  THE  PURSUIT  335 

Reaching  his  shoulders,  Lisle  stood  on  them  while 
Nasmyth  and  Crestwick  on  the  pinnacle  beneath  looked 
up  at  a  somewhat  impressive  spectacle.  Lisle's  head 
and  shoulders  were  now  above  the  edge,  but  he  was 
forced  to  bend  backward  and  outward  by  the  project- 
ing bulge  which  pressed  against  his  breast,  and  his 
cautious  movements  suggested  that  he  could  find  no 
hold.  It  appeared  impossible  for  him  to  descend,  un- 
less he  did  so  accidentally,  and  in  that  event  nothing 
could  save  him  from  a  fall  to  the  bottom  of  the  ravine. 
For  a  while,  they  watched  his  tense  figure  moving 
f utilely ;  and  then  Batley,  standing  most  precariously 
poised,  bent  his  ann  and  seized  one  of  Lisle's  feet. 
He  spoke  in  a  breathless  gasp  as  he  thinist  it  upward; 
Lisle's  legs  swung  free  and  he  disappeared  beyond 
the  edge.  The  two  below  were  conscious  of  a  vast 
relief.  It  was  tempered,  however,  by  the  knowledge 
that  they  must  shortly  emulate  their  companion's 
exploit. 

"  Take  off  your  pack ! "  Batley  called  to  Lisle. 
"  Split  the  bag,  if  it's  necessary,  and  lower  the  end  1 
But  be  quick !     This  isn't  a  comfortable  position." 

The  pack  in  which  the  small  bush  rancher  conveys 
his  provisions  from  the  nearest  store  as  a  rule  con- 
sists of  a  cotton  flour  bag  with  a  pair  of  suspenders 
fastened  to  its  corners,  and  Nasmyth  had  provided  the 
party  with  a  few  receptacles  of  similar  pattern  but 
more  strongly  made  before  entering  the  wilds.  The 
straps,  when  Lisle  let  them  down,  reached  several  feet 
from  the  top,  and  Batley  bade  Nasmj'th  and  Crest- 
wick ascend.  They  managed  it  with  assistance  from 
Lisle,  who  seized  them  from  above.  Tlien  Batley 
called  up  to  them. 


336  THE  LONG  PORTAGE 

"  I'm  going  to  test  the  tackle.  Give  me  a  hand  up 
as  soon  as  I'm  over  the  bulge ! " 

It  was  difficult  to  hear  him,  as  he  was  still  beneath 
the  projecting  edge,  and  they  watched  the  straining 
straps  with  keen  anxiety  until  a  hand  that  felt  for  a 
hold  upon  the  rock  appeared.  Lisle  seized  it,  with 
Nasmj'th  ready  to  assist,  and  Batley  came  up,  gasp- 
ing, with  the  perspiration  streaming  from  his  face. 

"  I'd  have  managed  it  easily  at  one  time,"  he  said. 
This  is  what  comes  of  civilization  and  soft  living." 
You  brought  us  across ;  we  owe  you  a  good  deal 
for  it,"  declared  Lisle. 

Batley  smiled  at  him  as  they  set  off  again. 

"  In  this  case,  I  won't  be  an  exacting  creditor.  In 
fact,  it's  rather  curious  how  we've  hit  it  off,  consider- 
ing that  you  wouldn't  hear  of  a  compromise  and  our 
interests  are  opposed." 

"  I  don't  know  what  your  interests  are,"  Lisle  re- 
turned dryly. 

"  Then,  in  one  way,  I'm  ahead  of  you.  I  know 
your  wishes,  and  Nasmyth's  —  you  don't  want  Clar- 
ence to  marry  Miss  Gladwyne.  It's  your  motive  I'm 
not  sure  about.     Do  you  want  the  girl  yourself.'*  " 

They  were  some  distance  in  front  of  the  others,  who 
were  too  far  behind  to  hear  them.  Lisle  looked  at 
his  companion  steadily.  The  man  was  engaged  in  a 
business  that  was  regarded  with  general  disfavor,  but 
there  was  something  he  liked  about  him  and  he  did 
not  resent  his  bluntness. 

"  Well,"  he  answered,  "  it  isn't  for  the  reason  you've 
given  that  I  mean  to  stop  the  match.' 

"  Can  you  do  so.?  " 

"  I'm  going  to  try.'* 


jj 


THE  END  OF  THE  PURSUIT  SSI 

Batley  smiled  reflectively. 

"  And  the  present  journey  is  somehow  connected 
with  the  attempt?  Now  I  believe  I  might  have  left 
you  held  up  on  the  wrong  side  of  the  canon ;  the 
idea  was  in  my  mind  and  you  can  give  me  credit  for 
not  yielding  to  it.  I  suppose  there  would  be  no  use 
in  my  asking  you  for  a  hint  as  to  the  relation  between 
my  rather  tricky  companion's  expedition  and  his 
cousin's  death.'*  " 

"  None  in  the  least,"  said  Lisle  decidedly. 

Batley  made  a  gesture  of  acquiescence. 

"  Oh,  well !  We  must  try  to  be  friends  as  long  as 
possible." 

Nothing  more  was  said  about  the  matter,  and  they 
spent  the  day  forcing  a  passage  through  scrub  timber, 
up  precipitous  hillsides,  and  across  long  stony  ridges. 

There  was  no  sign  of  Gladwyne's  trail,  but  that  did 
not  trouble  Lisle,  for  he  knew  where  the  man  was 
heading  for.  On  the  second  day  Batley  showed  signs 
of  distress,  and  Nasmyth  and  Crestwick  were  walking 
very  wearily,  but  Lisle  held  on  at  a  merciless  pace. 
It  was  essential  that  he  should  reach  the  cache  before 
Gladwyne  could  interfere  with  it.  Toward  evening, 
Nasmyth  made  an  effort  and  caught  up  with  Lisle. 

"  How  Avould  Clarence  get  across  to  the  second 
cache  on  the  other  side  of  the  water.'*  "  he  asked.  "  It's 
a  point  I've  been  considering;  I  suppose  it's  occurred 
to  30U." 

"  I  don't  know,"  Lisle  confessed.  "  The  Indians 
near  the  divide  said  there  was  another  party  with  canoes 
somewhere  lower  down ;  but,  as  the  packer  who  was 
with  me  didn't  talk  to  them,  so  far  as  I  noticed,  I 
don't  see  how  Gladw3'ne  could  have  heard  of  it ;  but 


338  THE  LONG  PORTAGE 

that's  as  far  as  I  can  go.  If  he  destroyed  the  first 
cache,  it  would  help  to  clear  him,  unless  you  can 
vouch  for  the  correctness  of  the  list  I  made ;  but  he 
may  have  some  further  plan  in  his  mind."  He  paused 
and  raised  his  hand.  "Listen!  Isn't  that  the  river? 
We  can't  be  far  from  the  cache." 

The  day,  like  the  two  or  three  preceding  it,  had 
been  hot  and  bright,  and  now  that  evening  was  draw- 
ing on,  the  still  air  was  heavy  with  the  smell  of  the 
cedars  in  a  neighboring  hollow.  A  high  ridge  stood 
cut  black  against  a  vivid  green  glow,  and  from  be- 
yond it  there  rose  a  faint,  hoarse  murmur.  Nasmyth 
vv'clconied  it  gladly  as  announcing  the  end  of  the 
march. 

"  The  rest  of  the  party  can  hardly  be  down  until 
to-morrow;  there's  a  couple  of  portages,"  he  said. 
"  It  looks  as  if  we'll  have  to  go  without  our  sup- 
per." 

"  I  don't  want  to  see  them  before  morning,"  Lisle 
returned  grimly. 

They  pushed  on,  the  light  growing  dimmer  as  they 
v\ent,  until  at  length  the  moon  rose  from  behind  the 
ridge ;  and  when  they  had  skirted  the  ridge  they  saw 
the  river  glimmer  beneath  them  in  a  flood  of  silvery 
radiance.  It  filled  the  gorge  with  its  deep  murmur, 
for  the  hot  sunshine  for  three  days  had  melted  the 
snow,  which  had  poured  down  to  swell  the  flood  by 
every  gully.  Not  far  below  the  neck  the  broken  sur- 
face was  flecked  with  white  where  the  river  swept 
angi'ily  over  a  sharper  slope  of  its  bed,  and  a  black 
boulder  or  two  stood  out  in  the  midst  of  the  rushing 
foam.  Up-stream  of  this  there  was  a  strip  of  shingle 
which  Nasmyth  recognized  as  the  one  where  the  cache 


THE  END  OF  THE  PURSUIT  339 

had  been  made;  he  supposed  that  Lisle  had  struck 
the  spot  by  heading  for  the  narrow  rift  of  the  neck, 
which  was  conspicuous  for  sonic  distance  from  both 
sides. 

From  end  to  end  tlie  sweep  of  pebbles  was  clearly 
distinct ;  but  there  was  no  dark  figure  moving  about 
it,  and  Nasmyth  wondered  if  they  had  come  too  late. 
They  had  marched  fast,  as  his  aching  muscles  testified, 
but  they  had  been  delayed  at  the  cafion  and  Glad- 
wyne  had  had  a  long  start.  If  he  had  arrived  and 
had  visited  the  cache,  their  efforts  might  prove  to 
have  been  thrown  away.  There  must  be  no  shadow 
of  doubt  when  Lisle  told  his  startling  story. 

They  descended  with  caution,  moving  through 
shadow,  for  the  ridge  above  them  cut  off  the  moon- 
light, though  it  was  far  from  dark,  and  they  were  near 
the  bottom  when  Crestwick  dislodged  a  bank  of  stones 
which  went  rattling  and  crashing  down  to  the  beach. 
A  moment  later  a  black  form  sprang  out  from  among 
the  rocks  below  and  ran  hurriedly  along  the  shingle. 
This  sui*prised  Nasmyth  because  he  could  not  doubt 
that  the  man  was  Gladwyne  and  he  failed  to  under- 
stand his  object  in  making  what  would  probably  be 
a  futile  attempt  to  avoid  them.  Lisle  was  some  dis- 
tance in  front,  and  his  voice  rang  out  sharply : 

"  Head  him  off  from  the  canoe !  " 

Nasmyth  broke  into  a  stumbling  run  —  it  was  now 
obvious  that  Gladwyne  meant  to  cross  the  river,  and 
perhaps   destroy   the   second  cache. 

Gladwyne  had  reached  the  canoe  when  Lisle  gained 
the  beach,  and  Nasmyth,  descending  in  reckless  haste, 
saw  him  hurriedly  turn  it  over  and  raise  the  fonvard 
end  of  it.     Lisle  was  running  his  hardest,  almost  as 


340  THE  LONG  PORTAGE 

if  he  were  fresh,  up  the  long  strip  of  shingle ;  but  it 
was  evident  that  he  would  be  too  late,  and  they  would 
have  no  means  of  following  Gladw3'ne  after  the  canoe 
was  launched.  There  was  a  shai-p  rattle  of  stones  as 
he  hauled  it  down ;  Lisle  was  still  some  way  behind ; 
Gladwyne  sprang  on  board  and  thrust  the  light  craft 
off,  and  a  few  strokes  of  the  paddle  drove  her  well  out 
into  the  stream. 

Lisle  stopped,  standing  in  the  moonlight,  and  his 
comrade  could  see  his  hands  tightly  clenched  at  his 
side;  then  he  suddenly  tore  off  his  jacket  and  flung  it 
behind  him.  Noticing  this,  Nasmyth  attempted  to 
increase  his  pace.  The  river  was  running  fast, 
swollen  with  melted  snow,  and  Lisle  must  be  badly 
worn  out.  If  he  had  to  be  restrained  by  force,  he 
should  not  attempt  to  swim  across. 

Then,  to  Nasmyth's  astonishment,  Gladwyne  leaned 
over  the  stern  of  the  craft  and  began  to  paddle  des- 
perately with  one  hand.  This  proceeding  caused 
Lisle  to  stop  again,  close  at  the  water's  edge. 

"  Come  back !  "  he  shouted. 

Nasmyth  ran  up  and  Lisle  turned. 

"  He's  dropped  or  broken  his  paddle  —  cracked  it 
when  he  shoved  her  out.  There  are  two  or  three  ugly 
rocks  in  the  rapid." 

They  ran  along  the  bank  together,  keeping  pace 
with  the  craft  which  was  sliding  away  fast  with  the 
stream.  Nasmyth  could  feel  his  heart  thumping  as 
he  wondered  what  Clarence  would  do.  Though  he 
could  not  cross  the  river,  it  was  possible  that  he  might 
propel  the  light  canoe  back  to  the  shingle  with  his  hand 
before  he  reached  the  rapid.  As  he  could  not  guide 
her  in  the  strong  rush  of  water,  there  would  be  danger 


THE  END  OF  THE  PURSUIT  341 

in  attempting  to  descend  it.  He  made  no  response, 
however,  to  their  warning  shouts. 

Batley  and  Crestwick  overtook  the  others  shortly 
before  the  canoe  swept  into  the  faster  stream  at  the 
head  of  the  rapid  and  they  watched  her  eagerly. 
There  was  a  narrow  pass  between  several  boulders 
close  ahead,  which  was  the  chief  danger,  and  the  cur- 
rent seemed  to  be  carrying  the  craft  down  on  one  of 
them.  In  a  few  moments  she  struck  and  jambed, 
broadside  on,  across  the  mass  of  stone.  White  foam 
boiled  about  her;  they  saw  Gladw^'ne  rise  and  clutch 
the  rock,  but  whether  to  thi-ust  her  off  or  to  climb  out 
did  not  appear.  He  suddenly  sank  down  and,  so  far 
as  they  could  make  out,  the  canoe  rolled  over. 

The  next  moment  Lisle  plunged  into  the  river. 
Nasmyth  ran  to  the  water's  edge,  but  seeing  that  he 
was  too  late,  he  sat  down  limply.  Lisle  was  a  good 
swimmer,  but  it  did  not  seem  possible  that  any  man 
could  reach  Clarence  before  he  was  washed  out  at  the 
tail  of  the  rapid.  It  became  evident,  however,  that 
somebody  else  meant  to  try,  for  Batley,  running  hard 
down  the  beach,  plunged  in. 

"  It's  awful !  "  gasped  Jim  Crestwick  behind  Nas- 
myth. "  It's  not  the  risk  of  drowning ;  they'll  be 
smashed  to  bits !  Anyway,  we'd  better  make  for  the 
slack  at  the  tail." 

Nasmyth  got  up.  He  could  see  nothing  of  Glad- 
wyne  or  either  of  the  others ;  there  were  only  black 
rocks,  rushing  water  and  outbreaks  of  foam,  and  he 
had  a  sickening  idea  that  long  before  they  reached  the 
quieter  pool  the  need  for  any  services  he  could  render 
would  be  past.  Fortunatel}',  the  beach  was  fairly 
smooth,    and   after   a    desperate    run    they   reached   a 


942  THE  LONG  PORTAGE 

tongue  of  rock  beneath  which  the  eddy  swung. 
Farther  on,  in  the  shadow,  Batley  stood  in  the  water, 
calling  to  them  and  apparently  clinging  hard  to  a  half- 
seen  object  in  the  stream. 

Nasmyth  leaped  in  knee-deep,  with  Crestwick  be- 
hind him,  and  gripping  the  loosely-hanging  arm  of 
the  bod^'^  Batley  was  supporting,  he  asked  hoarsely: 

"Who  is  it?" 

"  Lisle !  "  was  the  breathless  answer.  "  Help  me 
to  get  him  out !  " 

They  dragged  him  up  the  beach  and  let  him  sink 
down.     Lie  lay  upon  the  shingle,  silent  and  inert, 

"  Make  a  fire,  Jim  !  "  commanded  Batley.  "  Lift  his 
shoulder  a  bit,  Nasmyth !     Turn  him  partly  over !  " 

He  hurriedly  examined  Lisle  and  then  looked  up. 

"  It's  not  a  case  of  drowning ;  and  his  limbs  look 
sound.  Must  have  got  the  breath  knocked  out  of  him 
against  a  boulder."  He  pointed  to  a  broad  red  gash 
on  Lisle's  forehead  as  Nasmyth  eased  him  down  again. 
"  That  explains  his  unconsciousness." 

"Where's  Gladwyne.'' "  Nasmj^th  asked. 

Batley  made  an  expressive  gesture. 

"  Beyond  our  help,  anyway ;  somewhere  down- 
river." He  appeared  to  brace  himself  with  an  effort. 
"  I'm  pretty  nearly  finished,  but  there's  a  good  deal 
to  be  done.  We'll  strip  Lisle,  and  you  and  Crest- 
wick can  share  your  dry  things  with  him.  Then  one 
of  you  had  better  gather  cedar  twigs  for  him  to  lie  on." 


CHAPTER  XXXI 

LISLE   GOES   TO   ENGLAND 

LISLE  had  with  some  difficulty  been  dressed  in 
dry  clothes,  and  he  lay  with  his  eyes  shut  on 
a  couch  of  cedar  sprays  beside  a  fire,  when 
Batley  rose  and  turned  to  Nasmyth. 

"  I  don't  think  we  need  be  anxious,"  he  said.  "  The 
warmth  is  coming  back  to  him  and  he's  breathing 
regularly.  The  knock  on  the  head  must  have  been 
a  bad  one,  and  it's  very  likely  that  he  got  another 
thump  or  two  washing  down  the  rapid,  and  the  water 
was  icy  cold;  but  he'll  feel  better  after  a  fevr  hours' 
sleep." 

Nasm^'th  was  inclined  to  agree  with  this  prediction 
and  he  stood  up  wearily. 

"  Then  you  won't  want  me  for  a  little  while,"  he 
replied,  walking  away  from  the  fire. 

Having  given  most  of  his  clothes  to  Lisle,  he  was 
very  lightly  clad  and  the  night  was  cold.  He  shiv- 
ered as  he  plodded  over  the  shingle,  aching  in  every 
limb,  but  he  looked  about  eagerly  and  after  a  while 
he  found  the  cache.  It  was  uncovered,  but  there  were 
signs  that  Gladwyne  had  only  begun  his  task  when  he 
had  been  surprised  by  the  arrival  of  the  party  which 
had  followed  him. 

Nasmyth  did  not  pause  to  think  what  Lisle's  wishes 
might  be,  or  whether  he  would  resent  his  action.     So 

343 


S445  THE  LONG  PORTAGE 

far,  he  had  kept  his  promise ;  but,  with  physical  weari- 
ness reacting  on  his  mental  faculties,  he  was  only 
conscious  of  a  hazy  idea  that  Gladwyne's  death  had 
released  him  from  his  pledge.  The  traitor  had  ex- 
piated his  offense ;  the  tragic  story  must  never  be 
raked  up  again. 

Stooping  over  the  receptacle,  he  dragged  out  the 
different  articles  in  it,  and  avoiding  a  direct  glance 
at  them  or  any  attempt  to  enumerate  them,  he  gathered 
them  up  and  striding  over  the  shingle  hurled  them  as 
far  as  possible  into  the  river.  It  cost  him  several 
journeys,  but  his  heart  grew  lighter  with  every  splash. 
When  at  last  the  work  was  finished  and  he  had  refilled 
the  hole  and  scattered  the  stones  that  had  covered  it, 
he  sat  down  with  a  great  sense  of  relief.  A  burden 
which  had  long  weighed  upon  his  mind  was  gone ; 
Mrs.  Gladwyne  and  Millicent  were  safe  at  last  from  the 
grief  and  shame  that  a  revelation  would  have  brought 
them.  Exhausted  and  confused  as  he  was,  he  could 
not  tell  whether  he  felt  any  sorrow  for  Gladwyne's 
tragic  end;  the  man  had  passed  beyond  the  reach  of 
human  censure,  one  could  only  let  his  memory  sink 
into  oblivion. 

Growing  very  cold,  he  went  back  to  the  fire,  but 
he  offered  no  explanation  of  his  absence.  Lisle  was 
btill  asleep  or  unconscious,  but  the  natural  color  in  his 
face  was  reassuring. 

"  I've  heard  nothing  about  your  part  In  the  water," 
Nasmyth  said  to  Batley. 

"  There's  not  much  to  tell.  It  isn't  astonishing 
that  my  memory's  by  no  means  clear.  Anyhow,  I 
wasn't  far  from  Gladwyne,  who  was  swimming  well, 
when  he  was  swept  away  from  me  and  in  among  the 


LISLE  GOES  TO  ENGLAND  845 

lower  boulders  by  the  swirl  of  an  eddy.  I  suppose  it 
didn't  quite  reach  me,  but  the  next  moment  I  was 
sucked  into  a  lUsh  of  broken  water  and  went  down- 
stream, below  the  surface  part  of  the  time,  because  I 
was  surprised  when  I  found  I  could  breathe  and  look 
about  again.  By  good  luck,  I'd  got  into  the  smoothest, 
deepest  flow,  which  swept  me  straight  through.  After 
a  little,  I  saw  somebody  washing  down  in  a  slack  and 
got  hold  of  him.  I  didn't  know  whether  it  was  Glad- 
wyne  or  Lisle;  but  I  held  on  and  a  side-swing  of  the 
current  brought  us  both  ashore.  Gladwyne,  of  course, 
must  have  gone  under  after  being  badly  damaged 
among  the  rocks." 

"  There's  only  one  place  where  he  could  have  landed 
and  I  searched  it  while  you  were  away,"  Crestwick  said 
gravely. 

"Why  did  you  go  In  after  him?"  Nasmyth  asked 
Batley.  "  You  must  have  seen  that  you  couldn't  save 
him." 

"  That,"  Batley  answered  with  a  curious  smile,  "  is 
more  than  I  can  clearly  tell  you ;  and  I  might  suggest 
that  Lisle's  venture  is  even  harder  to  understand.  I 
don't  honestly  think  I  owe  Gladwyne  anything;  but, 
after  all,  we  passed  for  friends,  and  I  used  to  be  fond 
of  swimming.  Of  course,  there's  a  more  obvious  ex- 
planation —  I'd  lent  him  a  good  deal  of  money  and 
from  what  I've  learned  since,  I  may  have  some  diffi- 
culty in  enforcing  my  claim  on  the  estate.  It  was 
natural  that  I  should  make  an  effort  to  recover  the 
debt." 

Nasmyth  did  not  think  that  the  man  had  been  most 
strongly  influenced  by  that  desire,  but  he  addressed 
Crestwick : 


346  THE  LONG  PORTAGE 

*'  Hadn't  you  better  gather  some  more  branches  or 
driftwood  for  the  fire,  Jim?  " 

Crestwick  disappeared,  and  Nasmyth  filled  his  pipe 
before  he  turned  to  Batley. 

"  Now,"  he  said,  "  I  don't  want  to  be  offensive ; 
but  there  are  two  people  connected  with  this  affair 
who  must  be  spared  any  unnecessary  suffering. 
That's  a  fact  you  had  better  recognize." 

*'  I  hardly  think  you  do  me  justice,"  returned 
Batley,  looking  amused.  "  It's  perfectly  plain  that 
there's  a  mystery  beliind  these  recent  events ;  one  that 
has  some  relation  to  George  Gladwyne's  death.  Your 
idea  is  that  an  unscrupulous  person  of  my  description 
might  find  some  profit  in  probing  it  ?  " 

"  You'll  never  learn  the  truth.      I've  seen  to  that." 

*'  The  fact  is,  I  don't  mean  to  try." 

Nasmyth  was  a  little  astonished  at  finding  himself 
ready  to  believe  this. 

"  Then,"  he  asked,  "  what  do  you  mean  to  do  about 
your  claim  on  Gladwyne.''  " 

"  In  the  first  place,  there's  the  insurance ;  but  I  dis- 
covered by  accident  that  the  company  Gladwyne  had 
his  policy  on  was  the  one  that  had  insured  his  cousin. 
Whether  they'll  be  struck  by  the  coincidence  and  the 
unusual  nature  of  both  accidents  and  make  trouble  or 
not,  I  can't  tell ;  but  if  they  pay  up  there'll  be  an  end 
of  the  thing.  Failing  that,  I'll  have  to  consider. 
My  demands  might  be  contested  by  the  Gladwyne 
trustees  —  the  deal  was  a  little  irregular  in  some  re- 
spects —  but  I  parted  with  the  money  and  I'm  going 
to  make  an  effort  to  get  it  back." 

*'  How  much  did  Clarence  owe  you  ?  " 

Batley  told  him  and  Nasmyth  looked  thoughtful. 


LISLE  GOES  TO  ENGLAND  347 

*•  Well,"  he  requested,  "  if  you  meet  with  strong 
opposition,  come  to  me  before  you.  decide  on  any 
course,  and  I'll  see  what  can  be  arranged.  I  dare  say 
there'll  be  some  trouijle,  but  I  know  the  trustees  — 
and,  as  I  said,  there  are  people  who  must  be  saved  all 
needless  pain,  at  any  cost." 

"  It's  promised,"  agreed  Batley.  "  I'll  make  things 
as  easy  as  possible,  but  that's  as  far  as  I  can  go. 
I'm  not  rich  enough  to  be  recklessly  generous." 

Lisle  woke  soon  after  this  and  asked  one  or  two 
half-intelligible  questions,  but  they  gave  him  no  in- 
formation and  he  went  to  sleep  again ;  then  Crest- 
wick  arrived  with  more  fuel  and  Nasmyth  took  the 
first  watch  while  his  companions  rested.  He  was  very 
cold,  and  now  and  then  he  saw  Batley,  who  had  dis- 
carded most  of  his  wet  clothes,  wake  up  for  a  few 
moments  and  shiver.  Once  or  twice  he  glanced  long- 
ingly at  the  garments  spread  out  round  the  fire,  but 
"when  he  felt  them  they  were  still  too  wet  to  put  on. 
After  a  while  Crestwick  relieved  him,  and  when  he 
awakened  dawn  was  breaking  across  the  black  ridges 
and  the  rushing  river.  Batley  had  left  his  place,  and 
Crestwick  began  to  stride  up  and  down  the  beach, 
presumably  to  warm  himself.  To  Nasmyth's  satisfac- 
tion and  surprise.  Lisle  spoke  to  him. 

*'  You  slept  pretty  sound,"  he  said.  *'  Didn't  hear 
me  getting  some  information  about  what  happened 
out  of  Batley." 

"  Then   you  know  ?  " 

"  Yes,"  was  the  grim  answer.  "  The  thing's  fin- 
ished; there's  nothing  to  be  done." 

Nasmyth  made  a  sign  of  agreement. 

*'  How  do  you  feel.''  "  he  asked. 


348  THE  LONG  PORTAGE 


(C 


Horribly  sore  all  over,  left  side  particularly. 
Struck  a  big  boulder,  and  then  drove  in  among  a  nest 
of  stones  before  my  senses  left  me.  Tried  to  get  up 
a  ■while  ago,  but  couldn't  manage  it.  What's  as  much 
to  the  purpose,  I'm  feeling  hungry." 

"  Unfortunately,  there's  nothing  left  for  breakfast. 
One  of  us  had  better  go  up-stream  and  look  out  for  the 


canoes." 


Lisle  nodded. 

"  That's  your  duty  —  I  don't  envy  you.  Make 
them  camp  a  little  higher  up.  It  would  be  better,  in 
several  ways,  and  I'd  rather  be  on  my  feet  again  be- 
fore they  come  here." 

Nasmyth  set  off,  jaded  and  hungry,  and  he  was  feel- 
ing very  limp  when,  as  he  plodded  along  a  high  ridge, 
he  saw  the  canoes  sliding  down  the  river.  He  had 
hard  work  to  reach  the  bank  and  he  shrank  from  the 
task  before  him  when  the  first  canoe  grounded  upon 
the  stones.  Millicent  and  Bella  were  in  it,  and  Milli- 
cent  gazed  at  the  lonely  man  with  fixed,  anxious  eyes. 
He  was  ragged  and  looked  very  weary;  his  face  was 
worn  and  haggard. 

*'  Where  are  the  rest.''  "  she  asked  in  a  strained  voice. 
*'  Something  has  happened  —  what  is  it-f*  " 

*'  Three  of  them  are  some  miles  down  the  river." 

"  Three !  "  cried  Millicent,  in  dismay.  "  Haven't 
you  found  Clarence  yet?  " 

Nasmyth  hesitated,  regarding  her  compassionately, 
but  she  made  a  sign  of  protest. 

"  Go  on  !     Don't  keep  me  in  suspense  !  " 

"  Clarence,"  said  Nasmyth  quietly,  "  is  dead. 
Lisle  is  rather  badly  damaged." 

Millicent  left  the  canoe  and  sat  down,  very  white 


LISLE  GOES  TO  ENGLAND  349 

in  face,  upon  a  neighboring  stone.  In  the  mean- 
while the  other  canoes  had  grounded  and  her  com- 
panions gathered  about  her.  She  did  not  speak  to 
them  and  some  time  passed  before  she  turned  to 
Nasmjth. 

"  Tell  me  all,"  she  begged. 

He  briefly  related  what  had  happened,  and  there 
was  an  impressive  silence  when  he  finished.  Then 
Millicent  slowly  rose. 

"  And  Lisle's  badly  hurt,"  she  said.  "  We  must 
go  on ! " 

They  relaunched  the  canoes  and  Nasmyth  had  no 
further  speech  with  her,  for  as  they  floated  down- 
river she  sat,  still  and  silent,  in  another  canoe.  She 
was  conscious  chiefly  of  an  unnening  horror  and  a 
sense  of  contrition.  Clarence  was  dead,  and  she  had 
been  coldly  hypercritical ;  hardly  treating  him  as  a 
lover,  thinking  of  his  failings.  She  blamed  herself 
bitterly  in  a  half-dazed  fashion,  but  it  was  only  after- 
ward she  realized  that  she  had  not  been  troubled  by 
any  very  poignant  sense  of  loss. 

After  a  while  Nasmj'th  said  they  would  land,  but 
Millicent  roused  herself  to  countermand  his  instruc- 
tions and  eventually  they  reached  Batley's  camp. 
Lisle  had  got  up  during  the  day  and  he  now  walked 
painfully  down  to  the  water's  edge  to  meet  her.  When 
she  landed  he  gravel}'  pressed  her  hand. 

"  I'm  sorry,"  he  said  simply.  "  We  did  what  we 
could  to  save  him." 

"  Oh,  I  know,"  she  responded.  "  Nobody  could 
doubt  that." 

Then  Nasmyth  landed  with  provisions  and  while  the 
men  ate  two   Indians  strode  into  the   camp  and  ad- 


350  THE  LONG  PORTAGE 

dressed  Lisle  angrily.  They  were  curing  salmon,  they 
said,  and  had  left  a  canoe  on  the  shingle,  in  order  to 
avoid  a  portage  when  returning,  and  they  had  gone  in 
another  craft  to  set  some  fish-traps  in  a  lower  rapid. 
To  their  surprise  they  had  afterw^ard  seen  their  canoe 
drifting  down-stream  full  of  water  and  badly  damaged, 
and  they  had  set  off  at  once  to  discover  who  was  re- 
sponsible. 

Lisle  offered  them  some  silver  currency,  and  after 
a  little  chaffering  they  departed  satisfied. 

"  Now  we  know  how  the  canoe  came  to  be  lying 
where  Gladwyne  found  her,"  he  said  to  Nasmyth. 

Then  he  sought  Millicent. 

"  I  think,"  he  told  her  gently,  "  we  had  better  go 
on  —  to  stay  here  would  be  painful."  He  hesitated. 
*'  I'll  leave  Crestwick  and  an  experienced  river-Jack 
packer  to  investigate.  If  you  would  rather,  I'll  stay 
with  them,  though  I'm  afraid  I  can't  get  about  much." 

"  Thank  you,"  she  replied  in  a  voice  which  had  a 
break  in  it.  "  You  must  come  with  us ;  you  don't 
look  fit  to  stand." 

Running  the  rapid,  they  slid  away  down-river,  and 
once  more  Millicent  sat  very  still,  thinking  confused 
thoughts,  until  at  last  they  made  camp  for  the  night 
and  she  crept  away  to  the  shelter  of  her  tent.  A  day 
or  two  later  Crestwick  and  the  packer  overtook  them, 
having  discovered  nothing;  and  then  the  party  was 
animated  by  a  strong  desire  to  escape  from  the  river 
and  reach  the  trail  to  the  settlements  as  soon  as  possi- 
ble. Further  search  for  Gladwyne  was  useless;  the 
flood  had  swept  him  av/ay  and  no  one  would  ever 
know  whore  his  bones  lay.  He  had  set  out  on  his 
longest  and  most  mysterious  journey,  leaving  only  two 


LISLE  GOES  TO  ENGLAND  351 

women  to  mourn  him,  and  of  these  one,  who  had  tried 
to  love  him  out  of  duty,  would  by  and  by  forget. 

On  the  evening  before  they  left  the  river,  Lisle  stood 
with  JMilliccnt  looking  back  up  the  long  reach  they 
had  descended,  "i'licy  had  reached  the  taller  timber, 
and  on  one  bank  black  firs,  climbing  the  hillside,  stood 
out  against  the  fading  light  with  a  gauzy  mist-curtain 
drawn  across  their  higher  ranks.  The  flood  slid  by, 
glimmering  dimly,  smooth  and  green,  and  from  out 
of  the  distance  came  the  throbbing  clamor  of  a  rapid. 

"  It's  your  last  look,"  said  Lisle.  "  We'll  be  in  the 
bush  to-morrow  and  I  expect  to  hire  a  wagon,  or  at 
least  a  horse  or  two,  in  a  few  days.  Now  I'm  sorry 
I  ever  brought  you  here.  You'll  be  glad  to  get 
away." 

"  You  mustn't  blame  yourself,"  she  told  him.  "  We 
have  only  gratitude  for  you.  You  have  no  part  in  the 
painful  memories." 

She  glanced  once  more  up  the  valley ;  and  then 
moved  back  into  the  shadow  of  the  firs. 

"  It's  all  wildly  beautiful,  but  it's  so  pitiless  —  I 
shall  never  think  of  it  without  a  shiver." 

"  You  have  made  plenty  of  notes  and  sketches  for 
the  book,"  suggested  Lisle,  seeing  her  distress. 

"The  book?  I  don't  know  that  I  shall  ever  finish 
it.  I  feel  cut  adrift,  as  if  there  were  no  use  in  work- 
ing and  I  hadn't  a  pui*pose  left.  First  George  went, 
and  then  Clarence  —  so  far,  there  was  always  some 
one  to  think  of  —  and  now  I'm  all  alone." 

She  broke  out  into  open  sobbing  and  Lisle,  feeling 
very  sympathetic  and  half  dismayed,  awkwardly  tried 
to  soothe  her. 

"  I'm  better,"  she  said  at  last.     "  It  was  very  fool- 


1 


352  THE  LONG  PORTAGE 

ish,  but  I  couldn't  help  it.     I  think  we'll  go  back  to 
the  others." 

He  gave  her  his  arm,  for  the  way  was  rough,  but 
as  they  approached  the  camp  she  stopped  a  moment 
amid  the  shadow  and  stillness  of  the  great  fir  trunks. 

"  I  have  done  with  the  river  —  I  think  I  am  afraid 
of  it,"  she  confessed.  "  Can't  we  get  away  early  to- 
morrow ?  " 

Lisle  said  it  should  be  aiTanged  and  she  turned  to 
him  gratefully. 

"One  can  always  rely  on  you!  You're  just  like 
George  was  in  many  ways.  It's  curious  that  when- 
ever I'm  in  trouble  I  think  of  him  — " 

She  seemed  on  the  verge  of  another  breakdown,  and 
she  laid  her  hand  in  his  for  a  moment  before  she  went 
from  him  hurriedly  with  a  low,  "  Good  night  1  '* 

Lisle  strolled  back  to  the  river  and  lighted  his  pipe. 
He  had  noticed  and  thought  it  significant  that  she 
spoke  more  of  the  brother  whom  she  had  lost  several 
years  ago  than  of  the  lover  who  had  perished  recently ; 
but,  from  whatever  cause  it  sprung,  her  distress 
troubled  him. 

His  thoughts  were  presently  interrupted  by  Na- 
smyth. 

"  There's  a  thing  I'd  better  tell  you,  Vernon,"  he 
said,  sitting  down  near  by.  "  The  night  you  were  half 
drowned  I  emptied  the  cache  and,  without  making  any 
note  of  what  was  in  it,  pitched  everything  into  the 
river." 

"  So  I  discovered.  At  least,  when  I  managed  with 
some  trouble  to  reach  the  place,  I  knew  it  was  either 
you  or  Gladwyne,  and  I  blamed  you." 

"Well.?" 


LISLE  GOES  TO  ENGLAND  353 

"  I've  decided,"  Lisle  said  gravely,  "  that  you  did 
quite  right.      It's  the  end  of  that  story." 

"  Then  you  have  abandoned  the  purpose  you  had  in 
view?  " 

"  I've  been  thinking  hard,  and  it  seems  to  me  that 
if  Vernon  were  with  me  now,  the  last  thing  that  would 
please  him  would  be  to  see  the  two  women  suffer;  he 
was  a  big  man  in  every  way.  There's  another  thing 
—  he  left  no  relations  to  consider." 

Nasmyth  laid  a  hand  on  his  shoulder  in  a  very  ex- 
pressive way. 

"  I  felt  all  along  that  you'd  come  to  look  at  it 
like  that ! " 

"  But  there's  Batley ;  he  has  some  suspicions." 

"  I  can  silence  him,"  promised  Nasmyth.  "  The 
man  has  his  good  points,  after  all." 

"That's  so,"  Lisle  agreed.  "Still,  I'll  come 
straight  across  to  England  and  tackle  him  if  you  fail. 
If  it's  a  question  of  money,  you  can  count  me  in  — 
I've  been  prospering  lately."  He  rose  and  knocked 
out  his  pipe.     "  That's  the  last  word  on  the  matter." 

They  went  back  to  camp,  and  starting  soon  after 
sunrise  the  next  morning  they  reached  a  settlement 
on  the  railroad  after  a  comparatively  easy  journey; 
and  that  evening  Lisle  stood  with  a  heavy  heart  be- 
side the  track  while  the  big  cars  moved  away,  his  eyes 
fixed  on  a  woman's  figure  that  leaned  out  from  a  vesti- 
bule platform,  waving  a  hand  to  him. 

After  that  he  went  back  to  his  work,  with  Crest- 
wick  ;  and  nearly  twelve  months  had  passed  when  he 
sent  a  cable  to  England  and  started  for  that  country 
a  day  after  receiving  the  answer.  Crestwick  insisted 
on  going  with  him. 


354  THE  LONG  PORTAGE 

"  You'll  no  doubt  want  my  support  again,"  he 
grinned.  "  Tliere's  an  office  I  mean  to  rob  Nasmyth 
of,  if  I  can." 

It  was  evening  when  they  drove  into  sight  of  Milll- 
cent's  house.  Lisle's  heart  throbbed  painfully  fast 
as  he  got  down,  but  he  was  not  kept  waiting.  Milli- 
cent  was  standing  in  her  drawing-room,  and  as  he  came 
in  she  held  out  her  hand  to  him. 

"  You  answered  my  message,"  he  said,  seizing  it. 
**  You  must  have  guessed  what  I  meant  when  I  asked 
if  I  might  come  across." 

*'  Yes,"  she  confessed  softly ;  "  I  knew  and  I  told 
you  to  come." 

He  still  held  her  a  little  away  from  him  as  he  gave 
a  quick  glance  at  the  refined  and  artistic  appointments 
of  the  room. 

"  There's  a  good  deal  you  will  have  to  give  up,"  he 
told  her.  "  You're  not  afraid  of  our  new  and  rugged 
country  ?  But  it  has  something  to  offer  —  and  we 
need  such  people  as  you." 

"  It's  going  to  be  a  great  country  before  very  long," 
she  answered  gravely ;  "  and  I  have  no  dread  of  it  now. 
But  —  I  gave  my  dearest  —  I  think  it  owes  me  some- 
thing in  return." 

He  drew  her  masterfully  into  his  arms. 

"  It  discharges  all  its  debts.  You  must  teach  me 
how  to  pay  you  back  in  full  measure ;  that's  my  one 
big  task.  You're  giving  so  much  freely ;  but,  of 
course,  I'm  glad  —  I  don't  want  duty." 

"  This  isn't  duty,"  she  smiled ;  "  it's  love ! " 

THE   EN3 


THE  NOVELS  OF 

STEWART    EDWARD   WHITE 


THE  RULES  OF  THE  GAME.  Illustrated  by  Lajaret.  A.  Hiller 

The  romance  of  the  son  of  "The  Riverraan."  The  young  college 
'\iero  goes  into  the  lumber  camp,  is  antagonized  by  "graft"  and  come* 
tnto  tne  romance  of  his  life. 
,  ARIZONA  NIGHTS,  lllus.  and  cover  inlay  by  N.  C.  Wyeth, 

i  A  series  of  spirited  tales  emphasizing  some  phases  of  the  lil« 

J5>f  the  ranch,  plains  and  desert.    A  masterpiece. 
THE   BLAZEJ)    TRAIL.  With  illustjations  Dy  Thomas  Fcgarty. 

A  wholesome  story  with  gleams  of  humor,  telling  of  a  young 
ijian  who  blazed  his  way  to  fortune  through  the  heart  of  the  Mich- 
■gan  pines. 

THE  CLAIM  JUMPERS.    A  Romance. 

The  tenderfoot  maiiager  of  a  mine  in  a  lonesome  gulch  of  the 
Black  Hills  has  a  hard  time  of  it,  but  "wins  out"  in  more  ways  than 
one. 

CONJUROR'S     HOUSE.    Illustrated  Theatrical  Editioiu 

Dramatized  under   the     title   of  "The    Call  of    the    Nortt,  * 
"Conjuror's  House  is  a  Hudson  Bay  trading  post  where  the 
ti.iad  factor  is  the  absolute  lord.    A  young  fellow  risked  his  life  and 
won  a  bride  on  this  forbidden  land. 

THE  MAGIC   FOREST.    A  Modem  Fairy  Tale.    Illustrated. 

The  sympathetic  way  in  which  the  children  of  the  wild  and 
their  life  is  treated  could  only  belong  to  one  who  is  in  love  with  *he 
forest  and  open  air.    Based  on  fact. 

THE  RiVERMAN.    lllus.  by  N.  C.  Wyeth  and  C.  UndeiAvood. 
The  story  of  a  man's  fight  against  a  river  and  of  a  struggle 
Setween  honesty  and  grit  on  the  one  side,  and  dishonesty  and 
iurewdness  on  the  other. 

THE  SILENT  PLACES.  Illustrations  by  Philip  R.  Goodwin. 

The  wonders  of  the  northern  forests,  the  heights  of  feminine 
devotion,  and  masculine  power,  the  intelligence  of  the   Caucasiaa 
and  the  instinct  of  the  Indian,  are  all  finely  drawn  in  this  story. 
,THE  WESTERNERS. 

A  story  of  the  Black  Hills  that  is  justly  placed  among  the 
best  American  novels.  It  portrays  the  life  of  the  new  West  as  no 
other  book  has  done  in  recent  vears. 

THE     MYSTERY.  In  collaboration  with  Samuel  Hopkins  Adams 

With  illustrations  by  Will  Crawford. 

The  disappearance  of  three  successive  crews  from  the  stout 
ship  "Laughing  Lass"  in  mid-Pacific,  isa  mystery  weird  andinscrut* 
able.  In  the  solution,  there  is  a  story  of  the  most  exciting  voyage 
that  man  ever  undertook. 

Grosset  &  DuNLAP,  526  West  26th  St.,  New  York; 


iiwftr_ 


B.  M.  Bower's  Novels 

Thrilling  Western  Romances 

Large  12  mos.  Handsomely  bound  in  cloth.     Illustrated 

CHIP,  OF  THE  FLYING  U 

A  breezy  wholesome  tale,  wherein  the  love  affairs  of  Chip  and 
Delia  Whitman  are  charmingly  and  humorously  told.  Chip'i 
jealousy  of  Dr.  Cecil  Grantham,  who  turns  out  to  be  a  big.  blue 
eyed  young  \voman  is  very  amusing.    A  clever,  realistic  story  ot ' 

the  American  Cow-puncher. 

THE  HAPPY  FAMILY 

A  lively  and  amusing  story,  dealing  with  the  adventures  of 
eighteen  jovial,  big  hearted  Montana  cowboys.  Foremost  amongfst 
them,  we  find  Ananias  Green,  known  as  Andy,  whose  imaginative 
powers  cause  many  lively  and  exciting  adventures. 

HER  PRAIRIE  KNIGHT 

A  realistic  story  of  the  plains,  describing  a  gay  party  of  Eas- 
terners who  exchange  a  cottage  at  Newport  for  the  rough  homeli- 
ness of  a  Montana  ranch-house.  The  merry-hearted  cowboys,  the 
fascinating  Beatrice,  and  the  effusive  Sir  Redmond,  become  living, 
breathing  personalities. 

THE  RANGE  DWELLERS  '  , 

Here  are  everyday,  genuine  cowboys,  just  as  they  really  exist. 
Spirited  action,  a  range  feud  between  two  families,  and  a  Romeo 
and  Juliet  courtship  make  this  a  bright,  jolly,  entertaining  story, 
without  a  dull  page. 

THE    LURE  OF  DIM  TRAILS 

A  vivid  portrayal  of  the  experience  of  an  Eastern  author, 
among  the  cowboys  of  the  West,  in  search  of  "local  color"  for  a 
new  novel.  "Bud' '  Thurston  learns  many  a  lesson  while  following 
"the  lure  of  the  dim  trails"  but  the  hardest,  and  probably  the  most 
welcome,  is  that  of  love. 
THE   LONESOME   TRAIL 

"Weary"  Davidson  leaves  the  ranch  for  Portland,  where  con« 
?entional  city  life  palls  on  him.    A  little  branch  of  sage  brush, 
pungent  with  the  atmosphere  of  the  prairie,  and  the  recollection  oi 
a  pair  of  large  brown  eyes  soon  compel  his  return.    A  wholesome | 
love  story, 

THE  LONG  SHADOW 

A  vigorous  Western  story,  sparkling  with^the  free,  oxitdoor, 
life  of  a  mountain  ranch.  Its  scenes  shift  rapidly  and  its  actors  play 
the  game  of  life  fearlessly  and  like  men.  It  is  a  fine  love  story  f lOm 
start  to  finish. 


Ask  for  a  complete  free  list  of  G.  &  D.  PopuW  Copyrighted  Fiction. 

Grosset  &  DuNLAP,  526  West  26th  St.,  New  York 


STORIES    OF    \\^EjrERN     LIFE 

May  IM  had  wherever  books  ars  sold.       Ask  for  Grossat  &  Ounlap's  list 

RIDERS  OF  THE  PURPLE  SAGE.    By  Zane  Grey. 

Illustrated  by  Douglas  Duer. 

In  this  picturesque  romance  of  Utah  of  some  forty  years  ago,  we 
are  permitted  to  see  the  unscrupulous  methods  employed  by  tne  in- 
visible hand  of  the  Mormon  Church  to  break  the  will  of  those  refus-l 
ing  to  conform  to  its  rule.  ' 

FRIAR  TUCK,    By  Robert  Alexander  Wason. 
Illustrated  by  Stanley   L.  Wood. 

Happy  Hawkins  tells  us,  in  his  humorous  way,  how  Friar  Tuck 
lived  among  the  Cowboys,  how  he  adjusted  their  quarrels  and  love 
affairs  and  how  he  fought  with  them  and  for  them  when  occasion 
required. 

THE    SKY   PILOT.     By  Ralph    Connor, 
Illustrated  by  Louis  Rhead. 

There  is  no  novel,  dealing  with  the  rough  existence  of  cowboys, 
so  charming  in  the  telling,  abounding  as  it  does  with  the  freshest  and 
the  truest  pathos. 

THE  EMIGRANT  TRAIL,    By  Geraldine  Bonner. 

Colored  frontispiece  by  John  Rae. 

The  book  relates  ;he  adventures  of  a  party  on  its  overland  pil- 
grimage, and  the  birth  and  growth  of  the  absorbmg  love  of  two  strong 
men  for  a  charming  heroine. 

THE   BOSS    OF  WIND  RIVER,    By  A.  M.  Chisholm. 

Illustrated  by  Frank  Tenney  Johnson. 

This  is  a  strong,  virile  novel  with  the  lumber  industry  for  its  cen- 
tral theme  and  a  love  story  full  of  interest  as  a  sort  of  subplot. 

A   PRAIRIE  COURTSHIP,    By  Harold  Bindloss. 

A  story  of  Canadian  prairies  in  which  the  hero  is  stirred,  through 
the  influence  of  his  love  for  a  woman,  to  settle  down  to  the  heroic 
business  of  pioneer  farming, 

JOYCE  OF  THE  NORTH  WOODS,    By  Harriet  T.  Comstock 

Illustrated  by  John  Cassel. 

A  story  of  the  deep  woods  that  shows  the  power  of  love  at  worii 
among  its  primitive  dwellers.  It  is  a  tensely  moving  study  of  the 
human  heart  and  its  aspirations  that  unfolds  itself  through  thrilling 
situations  and  dramatic  developments. 

Ask  for  a  complete  free  list  of  G.  &  D.  Popular  Copyrighted  Fiction 


Grosset  &  DuNLAP,   -'26  West  26th  St.,  New  York 


JOHN   FOX,  JR'S. 

STORIES   OF  THE   KE>rrUCKY  MOUNTAINS 

May  be  had  whsrever  books  are  sold.       Ask  for  Grosset  and  Dunlap's  list 


THE  TRAIL   OF  THE    LONESOME   PINE. 

Illustrated  by  F.  C.  Yohn. 

The  "lonesome  pine"  from  which  the 
story  takes  its  name  was  a  tall  tree  that 
stood  in  solitary  splendor  on  a  mountain 
top.  The  fame  of  the  pine  lured  a  young 
engineer  through  Kentucky  to  catch  the 
trail,  and  when  he  finally  climbed  to  its 
shelter  he  found  not  only  the  pine  but  the 
foot-prints  of  a  girl.  And  the  girl  proved 
to  be  lovely,  piquant,  and  the  trail  of 
these  girlish  foot-prints  led  the  younpj 
engineer  a  madder  chase  than  "the  trail 
of  the  lonesome  pine." 

THE     LITTLE    SHEPHERD    OF    KINGDOM     COME 

Illustrated  by  F.  C.  Yohn. 

This  is  a  story  of  Kentucky,  in  a  settlement  known  as  "King- 
dom Come."  It  is  a  life  rude,  semi-barbarous;  but  natural 
and  honest,  from  which  often  springs  the  flower  of  civilization. 

"  Chad."  the  "little  shepherd"  did  not  know  who  he  was  nor 
whence  he  came — he  had  just  wandered  from  door  to  door  since 
early  childhood,  seeking  shelter  with  kindly  movmtaineers  who 
gladly  fathered  and  mothered  this  waif  about  whom  there  was 
such  a  mystery — a  charming  waif,  by  the  way,  who  could  play 
the  banjo  better  that  anyone  else  in  the  mountains. 

A  KNTGHT   OF  THE    CUMBERLAND. 

Illustrated    by  F.  C.  Yohn. 

The  scenes  a'-e  laid  along  the  waters  of  the  Cumberland' 
the  lair  of  moonshiner  and  feudsman.  The  knight  is  a  moon- 
shiner's son,  and  the  heroine  a  beautiful  girl  perversely  chris- 
tened "The  Blight."  Two  impetuous  young  Southerners'  fall 
under  the  spell  of  "The  Blight's  "  charms  and  she  learns  what 
a  large  part  jealousy  and  pistols  have  in  the  love  making  of  the 
mountaineers. 

Included  in  this  volume  is  "  Hell  fer-Sartain"  and  othet 
stories,  some  of  Mr.  Fox's  most  entertaining  Cumberland  valley 
narratives. 

Ask  for  complete  free  list  of  G.  &  D.  Popular  Copyrighted  Fiction 


Grosset  &  Dunlap,  526  West  26th  St.,  New  York 


STORIES    OF    RARE    CHARM    BY 

GENE  STRATTON-PORTER 


!!l!!y  be  had  whsrevEr  books  are  sold.       Ask  for  Grosset  and  Dunlap's  list. 


"•til. 


,<3 
HARVESTER 


THE  HARVESTER 

Illustrated  by  W.  L.  Jacobs 

"The  Harvester,"  David  Langston,  is 
a  man  of  the  woods  and  fields,  who  draws 
his  living  from  the  prodigal  hand  of  Mother 
Nature  herself.  If  the  book  had  nothing  in 
it  but  the  splendid  figure  of  this  man,  wi  h 
his  sure  gnp  on  life,  his  superb  optimism, 
and  his  almost  miraculous  knowledge  of 
nature  secrets,  it  would  be  notable.  But 
when  the  Girl  comes  to  his  "Medicine 
Woods,"  and  the.  Harvester's  whole  sound, 
healthy,  large  outdoor  being  realizes  that 
this  is  the  highest  point  of  life  which  has 

come    to    him  —  there  b^ins  a  romance, 

troubled  and  interrupted,  yet  of  the  rarest  idyllic  quality. 

FRECKLES.        Decorations  by  E.  Stetson  Crawford 

Freckles  is  a  nameless  waif  v;hcn  the  tale  opens,  but  the  way  in 
which  he  takes  hold  of  life;  the  nature  friendships  he  forms  in  the 
great  Limberlost  Swamp;  the  manner  in  which  everyone  who  meets 
him  succumbs  to  the  charm  of  his  engaging  personality;  and  his  love- 
story  with  "The  Angel"  are  full  of  real  sentiment. 

A  GIRL  OF  THE  LIMBERLOST. 

Illustrated  by  Wladyslaw  T.  Brenda. 

The  story  of  a  girl  of  the  Michigan  woods;  a  buoyant,  lovable 
typ5  of  the  self-reliant  American.  Her  philosophy  is  one  of  love  and 
kindness  towards  all  things;  her  hope  is  never  dimmed.  And  by  the 
sheer  beauty  of  her  soul,  and  the  purity  of  her  vision,  she  wins  from 
barren  and  unpromisiag  surrour\dingG  those  rewards  of  high  courage. 

It  is  an  inspiring  ctory  of  n  life  worth  while  and  the  rich  beauties 
of  tlie  out-of-doors  arc  ctrcv.Ti  through  all  its  pages. 

AT  THE  FOOT  OF  THE  RAINBOW. 

Illustrations  iu  colors  by  Oliver  Kemp.    Design  and  decorations  by 
Rslph  Fletcher  Seymour. 

The  scene  of  this  charming,  idyllic  love  story  is  laid  in  Central 
Indiana,  The  story  is  one  of  devoted  friendship,  and  tender  self- 
s?.crificing  love;  the  friendship  that  gives  freeiy  without  return,  and 
the  love  that  seeks  first  the  happiness  of  the  object.  The  novel  is 
brimful  of  the  most  beautiful  word  painting  of  nature,  and  its  pathos 
and  tender  sentiment  will  endear  it  to  all. 


Ask  for  complete  free  list  of  G.  &  D.  Popular  Copyrighted  Fiction 


Grossct  &  DuNLAP,  526  WrsT  26th  St.,  New  York 


GROSSET&  DUNLAP'S 

DRAMATIZED    NOVELS 

THE    KIND    THAT    ARE    M.\KING    THEATRICAL    HISTORY 
Kay  be  had  wherever  books  are  sold.        Ask  for  Grosset  &  Dunlap's  list 

WITHlCf  THE  LAW.     By  Bayard  VeUler  &  Marvin  Dana. 
Illustrated  by  Wiu.  Charles  Cooke. 

This  is  a  novelization  of  the  immensely  successfal  play  which  ran 
for  two  years  in  New  York  and  Chicago. 

The  plot  of  this  powerful  novel  is  of  a  young  woman's  revenge 
directed  against  her  employer  who  allowed  her  to  be  sent  to  prison 
for  three  years  on  a  charge  of  theft,  of  which  she  was  innocent. 

WHAT  HAPPENED  TO  MARY.     By  Robert  Carlton  Brown. 
lilustrated  with  scenes  from  the  play. 

This  is  a  narrative  of  a  yoiang  and  innocent  country  girl  who  is 
suddenly  thrown  into  the  very  heart  of  New  York,  "the  land  of  her 
dieams,    where  she  is  exposed  to  all  sorts  of  temptations  and  dangers. 

The  story  of  Mary  is  being  told  in  moving  pictures  and  played  ir 
theatres  ail  over  the  world. 

THE  RETURN  OF  PETER  GRTMM.      By  David  Belasco. 

lilustrated  by  John  Rae, 

This  is  a  novelization  of  the  popular  play  in  which  David  War^ 
field,  as  Old  Peter  Grimm,  scored  such  a  remarkable  success. 

The  story  is  spectacular    and  extremely   pathetic  but  withal, 
powerful,  both  as  a  book  and  as  a  play. 
THE  GARDEN  OF  ALLAH.    By  Robert  Hichens. 

This  novel  is  an  intense,  glowing  epic  of  the  great  desert,  sunlit 
barbaric,  with  its  marvelous  atmosphere  of  vastness  and  loneliness. 

It  is  a  book  of  rapturous  beauty,  vivid  in  word  painting.     The  play 
has  been  staged  with  magnificent  cast  and  gorgeous  properties. 
BEN    HUR.    A  Tale  of  the  Christ.    By  General  Lew  Wallace. 

The  whole  world  has  placed  this  famous  Religioas-Historical  Ro 
mance  on  a  heiqiht  of  pre-eminence  which  no  other  novel  of  its  time 
has  reached.  The  clashing  of  rivalry  and  the  deepest  human  passions, 
the  perfect  reproduction  of  brilliant  Roman  life,  and  the  tense,  fierce 
atmosphere  of  the  arena  have  kept  their  deep  fascination.  A  tre^ 
mendous  dramatic  success. 

BOUGHT  AND  PAID  FOR.     By  George  Broadhurst  and  Arthm ^ 
Hornblow.  Illustrated  with  scenes  from  the  play. 

A  stupendous  arraignment  of  modern  marriage  which  has  created 
an  interest  on  the  stage  that  is  almost  unparalleled.  The  scenes  are  laid 
in  New  York,  and  deal  with  conditions  among  both  the  rich  and  pooi. 

The  interest  of  the  story  turns  on  the  day-by  day  developments 
which  show  the  young  wife  the  price  she  has  paia. ^^ 

A-sk  for  com^hte  free  list  of  G.  &  D.  Popular  Co^yrighed  Fiction 


Grosset  &  Dunlap,  526  W'^sT  26th  St..  New  York 


DATE  DUE 

i 

GAYLORD 

PHINTED  IN  US    A. 

UC  SOUTHFRN  RFGIONAL  LIBRARY  FACILITY 

I         II  ■  "■  I 


I   I 


AA    000  605  235 


JNIVERSI 


V  OF   CA    RIVERSIDE  MBRARY 


3  1210  01269  618' 


• 


